A novel eight-connected metal-organic replica of CsCl based on heptanuclear zinc clusters

► The title complex is the first example of 8-connected framework based on heptanuclear zinc(II) clusters in the coordination chemistry of btc-NO2 and its derivatives. ► The title compound exhibits strong fluorescene emission in the solide state at ambient temperature. ► The title compound is thermal stable until the coordinated water molecules are decomposed up to 903K.