A novel three‐dimensional heterometallic coordination polymer: poly[[diaquadi‐μ3‐chlorido‐μ2‐chlorido‐tri‐μ3‐nicotinato‐tricopper(I)gadolinium(III)] hemihydrate]

In the title polymeric heterometallic compound, {Cu₃Gd(C₆H₄NO₂)₃Cl₃(H₂O)₂]·0.5H₂O}_n, comprising copper(I) and gadolinium(III) cations bridged by nicotinate (nic) ligands and chloride anions, the Gd^III centers display a bicapped trigonal prismatic geometry, defined by six carboxylate O atoms and two water molecules. For copper(I), one Cu center is three‐coordinated by three chloride ions and displays a trigonal–planar geometry; the other two Cu centers are four‐coordinated and display a very distorted tetrahedral geometry. The chloride anions act in μ₂‐ and μ₃‐bridging modes, linking the Cu^I ions into an infinite chain. The nic ligand exhibits a tridentate coordination mode, with the carboxylate O atoms linking to two Gd^III ions and the N atom linking to one Cu^I ion. Thus, a novel three‐dimensional heterometallic coordination polymer is constructed from Gd–carboxylate subunits and Cu—Cl chains. In addition, intra‐ and intermolecular O—H...O and O—H...Cl hydrogen bonds are also observed within the three‐dimensional structure. Topologically, the framework represents an unusual 3,6‐connected (4.8²)₃(4¹⁰.6⁵) net.