A new two‐dimensional managnese(II) coordination polymer constructed by 2,2′‐(1,2‐phenylene)bis(1H‐imidazole‐4,5‐dicarboxylate)

In recent years, N‐heterocyclic carboxylate ligands have attracted much interest in the preparation of new coordination polymers since they contain N‐atom donors, as well as O‐atom donors, and have a rich variety of coordination modes which can lead to polymers with intriguing structures and interesting properties. A new two‐dimensional coordination polymer, namely polyμ₃‐2,2′‐(1,2‐phenylene)bis(4‐carboxy‐1H‐imidazole‐5‐carboxylato)‐κ⁶O⁴,N³,N^3′,O^4′:O⁵:O^5′]manganese(II)], Mn(C₁₆H₈N₄O₈)]_n or Mn(H₄Phbidc)]_n, has been synthesized by the reaction of Mn(OAc)₂·4H₂O (OAc is acetate) with 2,2′‐(1,2‐phenylene)bis(1H‐imidazole‐4,5‐dicarboxylic acid) (H₆Phbidc) under solvothermal conditions. In the polymer, each Mn^II ion is six‐coordinated by two N atoms from one H₄Phbidc^2? ligand and by four O atoms from three H₄Phbidc^2? ligands, forming a significantly distorted octahedral MnN₂O₄ coordination geometry. The Mn^II ions are linked by hexadentate H₄Phbidc^2? ligands, leading to a two‐dimensional structure parallel to the ac plane. In the crystal, adjacent layers are further connected by N—H…O hydrogen bonds, forming a three‐dimensional structure in the solid state.