A novel coordination polymer {[Cd(Pmal)(Bipy)] · 4H 2 O} n (I), where Bipy = 2,2' Bipyridine, Pmal = phenethylmalonate, has been synthesized and characterized using IR, 1 H NMR, elemental analysis, and single crystal X ray diffractometry. The unit cell parameters for complex I: a = 12.3752(15), b = 6.8283(9), c = 13.4739(17) Å, β = 91.108(2)°, V = 1138.4(2) Å 3 , Z = 2, space group P2 1 . The binding of complex I with fish sperm DNA (FS DNA) was investigated by fluorescence spectroscopy, showing that the complex has the ability of interaction with DNA. Gel electrophoresis assay demonstrates the ability of com plex I to cleave the pBR322 plasmid DNA.