A helical chain coordination polymer {[Zn(Ac)2(bbbm)](CH3OH)2}n (bbbm=1,1′-(1,4-butanediyl)bis-1H-benzimidazole): synthesis, crystal structure and the third-order nonlinear optical property

A new co-ordination framework {[Zn(Ac)2(bbbm)](CH3OH)2}n (1) (bbbm=1,1′-(1,4-butanediyl)bis-1H-benzimidazole) has been synthesized and structurally characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction and Z-scan technique. The polymer has a one-dimensional single helical chain structure formed by bbbm linking two adjacent Zn(II) ions and exhibits strong NLO refraction property with n2 value of 1.38×10−17 m2 W−1, which can match those of the best known third-order NLO materials such as inorganic oxides, semiconductors, and cluster compounds.