The present work explores two biphenyl-dicarboxylate
linkers, 3,3′-dihydroxy-(1,1′-biphenyl)-4,4′-dicarboxylic
(H4L1) and 4,4′-dihydroxy-(1,1′-biphenyl)-3,3′-dicarboxylic
(H4L2) acids, in hydrothermal generation of
nine new compounds formulated as [Co2(μ2-H2L1)2(phen)2(H2O)4] (1), [Mn2(μ4-H2L1)2(phen)2]
n
·4nH2O (2), [Zn(μ2-H2L1)(2,2′-bipy)(H2O)]
n
(3), [Cd(μ2-H2L1) (2,2′-bipy)(H2O)]
n
(4), [Mn2(μ2-H2L1)(μ4-H2L1)(μ2-4,4′-bipy)2]
n
·4nH2O (5), [Zn(μ2-H2L1)(μ2-4,4′-bipy)]
n
(6), [Zn(μ2-H2L2)(phen)]
n
(7), [Cd(μ3-H2L2)(phen)]
n
(8), and [Cu(μ2-H2L2) (μ2-4,4′-bipy)(H2O)]
n
(9). These coordination
polymers (CPs) were generated by reacting a metal(II) chloride, a
H4L1 or H4L2 linker, and
a crystallization mediator such as 2,2′-bipy (2,2′-bipyridine),
4,4′-bipy (4,4′-bipyridine), or phen (1,10-phenanthroline).
The structural types of 1–9 range
from molecular dimers (1) to one-dimensional (3, 4, 7) and two-dimensional (8, 9) CPs as well as three-dimensional metal–organic
frameworks (2, 5, 6). Their
structural, topological, and interpenetration features were underlined,
including an identification of unique two- and fivefold 3D + 3D interpenetrated
nets in 5 and 6. Phase purity, thermal and
luminescence behavior, as well as catalytic activity of the synthesized
products were investigated. Particularly, a Zn(II)-based CP 3 acts as an effective and recyclable heterogeneous catalyst
for Henry reaction between a model substrate (4-nitrobenzaldehyde)
and nitroethane to give β-nitro alcohol products. For this reaction,
various parameters were optimized, followed by the investigation of
the substrate scope. By reporting nine new compounds and their structural
traits and functional properties, the present work further outspreads
a family of CPs constructed from the biphenyl-dicarboxylate H4L1 and H4L2 linkers.