Ancillary ligand-controlled assembly of three coordination polymers: synthesis, characterization, luminescent, and catalytic properties

By changing the ancillary ligands, three new zinc-based coordination polymers (CPs), {[Zn(4,4′-bpy)(H₂O)₄]·(TDC)·(H₂O)}_n (1), [Zn(2,2′-dmbpy)(TDC)]_n (2), and [Zn₂(3,3′-dmbpy)(TDC)₂]_n (3) (H₂TDC =2,5-thiophenedicarboxylic acid, 4,4′-bpy =4,4′-bipyridine, 2,2′-dmbpy =2,2′-dimethyl-4,4′-bipyridine, 3,3′-dmbpy =3,3′-dimethyl-4,4′-bipyridine) have been synthesized under the same reaction conditions (H₂O, pH =7–8, and 140°C) and were structurally characterized. 1 is a linear chain structure and further connected into a 3-D structure through hydrogen bonds. 2 shows a 2-D (4,4) network when the dinuclear [Zn₂(COO)₄N₂] building unit is regarded as a six-connected node. 3 has a twofold-interpenetrating 3-D zinc-organic framework pcu topology. Furthermore, 1–3 show strong photoluminescence at room temperature in the solid state, and the catalytic activities of 1–3 for degradation of methyl orange in a Fenton-like process have been investigated. The results suggest that the ancillary ligands influence the final resulting CPs.