Synthesis, structure and property of Ni(II) coordination polymers with mixed dicarboxylate and benzoimidazol-containing ligands

• Nickel(II) frameworks with mixed ligands have been obtained.
• Adsorption property of the complexes were investigated.
• Complexes catalyze acetalization reaction of aldehydes with methanol.

Four new Ni(II) complexes [Ni(L)(SO4)(H2O)2]·H2O (1), [Ni3(L)4(p-BDC)3(H2O)6]·6H2O (2), [Ni(L)(m-BDC)(H2O)2]·0.5H2O (3) and [Ni(L)(BPDC)(H2O)2] (4) have been prepared by reactions of 3,5-di(1H-benzimidazol-1-yl)pyridine (L) with nickel sulfate in the presence of auxiliary ligands of phthalic acid (o-H2BDC), terephthalic acid (p-H2BDC), isophthalic acid (m-H2BDC) and biphenyl-4,4′-dicarboxylic acid (H2BPDC), respectively. Interestingly, phthalate (o-BDC2−) did not take part in formation of 1, instead SO42- was found in 1. Complex 2 with p-BDC2− shows different two-dimensional (2D) network from 1 while 3 has one-dimensional (1D) chain structure. Complex 4 is a three-dimensional (3D) framework with CdSO4 topology. The thermal stability and adsorption property of the complexes were investigated. Furthermore, it was found that complexes 1–4 can catalyze acetalization reaction of aldehydes with methanol, and 1 gives the highest yield.

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