Spectroscopic and structural studies of 6-(1-methylbenzimidazol-2-yl)-1H-pyridin-2-one and of an unusual T4(2)7(2)6(2)7(2) water tape stabilized by the copper(II) coordination polymer

► A self-complementary H-bonded dimer of 6-(1-methylbenzimidazol-2-yl)-1H-pyridin-2-one. ► Neutral mono-nuclear Cu(II) complex with two mono-anionic ligands and one water molecule. ► The geometry of CuN4O chromophore is distorted TBP with τ = 0.57. ► An unusual 1D water tape, T4(2)7(2)6(2)7(2) is anchored to the crystal host. ► Molecular units are interconnected through extensive hydrogen bonding between pyridone moieties and water clusters.