Assembly of five metal-organic frameworks based on 2-p-methoxyphenyl-1H-imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylate

Five coordination polymers bearing 2-p-methoxyphenyl-1H-imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylic acid (H3MOPhIDC) formulated as [Zn2(μ2-HMOPhIDC)2(phen)2]n (phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) (1), [X(μ2-HMOPhIDC)(2,2’-bipy)]n (X = Ni (2) and Mn (3), 2,2′-bipy = 2,2′-bipyridine) and {[M(μ2-H2MOPhIDC)2]·2H2O}n (M = Mn (4) and Co (5)) have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. Their molecular structures have been determined by IR spectra, elemental analyses, thermogravimetric analyses, powder X-ray diffraction, and further characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Complex 1 features an infinite corrugated structure. Complexes 2 and 3 display straight chains. Both complexes 4 and 5 exhibit isomorphous 2D structures containing similar inorganic motifs with an individual rhombus as secondary building unit. The photoluminescent behaviors of these complexes have also been investigated.