Heterometallic coordination polymers generated from tripodal metalloligands

Three heterometallic coordination polymers have been prepared by reacting tripodal metalloligand AlL3 (L = 3-(4-pyridyl)acetylacetonate) with MCl2 (M = ZnII, CdII and HgII). The coordination preferences of the metal ions are found to have pronounced effects on the structural topologies. X-ray crystal structural analyses reveal that the complexes display three different kinds of structures. Complex 1 has a distorted ladder-like one-dimensional structure; 2 is a 2D layered structure consisting of rectangular moieties; 3 adopts a helical arrangement.