An unusual four-connected (65,8) topology in a coordination polymer

A new 3-fold interpenetrating three-dimensional zinc(II) coordination polymer {[Zn(bime)(O2N–BDC)] · H2O}n (1) has been solvothermally synthesized from the reaction of 1,2-bis(imidazol-1′-yl)ethane (bime), 5-nitroisophthalic acid (O2N–H2BDC), KOH and Zn(NO3)2 · 6H2O. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis reveals that 1 exhibits a rare tetrahedrally four-connected (65,8) topological network, in which all of the zinc(II) centers are in tetrahedral coordination.