Cobalt(II) and cadmium(II) square grids supported with 4,4′‐bipyrazole and accommodating 3‐carboxyadamantane‐1‐carboxylate

In poly[[bis(μ‐4,4′‐bi‐1H‐pyrazole‐κ²N²:N^2′)bis(3‐carboxyadamantane‐1‐carboxylato‐κO¹)cobalt(II)] dihydrate], {[Co(C₁₂H₁₅O₄)₂(C₆H₆N₄)₂]·2H₂O}_n, (I), the Co²⁺ cation lies on an inversion centre and the 4,4′‐bipyrazole (4,4′‐bpz) ligands are also situated across centres of inversion. In its non‐isomorphous cadmium analogue, {[Cd(C₁₂H₁₅O₄)₂(C₆H₆N₄)₂]·2H₂O}_n, (II), the Cd²⁺ cation lies on a twofold axis. In both compounds, the metal cations adopt an octahedral coordination, with four pyrazole N atoms in the equatorial plane [Co—N = 2.156 (2) and 2.162 (2) Å; Cd—N = 2.298 (2) and 2.321 (2) Å] and two axial carboxylate O atoms [Co—O = 2.1547 (18) Å and Cd—O = 2.347 (2) Å]. In both structures, interligand hydrogen bonding [N...O = 2.682 (3)–2.819 (3) Å] is essential for stabilization of the MN₄O₂ environment with its unusually high (for bulky adamantanecarboxylates) number of coordinated N‐donor co‐ligands. The compounds adopt two‐dimensional coordination connectivities and exist as square‐grid [M(4,4′‐bpz)₂]_n networks accommodating monodentate carboxylate ligands. The interlayer linkage is provided by hydrogen bonds from the carboxylic acid groups via the solvent water molecules [O...O = 2.565 (3) and 2.616 (3) Å] to the carboxylate groups in the next layer [O...O = 2.717 (3)–2.841 (3) Å], thereby extending the structures in the third dimension.