Hydrothermal syntheses, structures and characterizations of two luminescent cadmium(II) complexes with p-xylenediphosphonic acid and N-donor ligands

► The first example of cadmium(II)-p-xylenediphosphonates templated by second ligand. ► The role of size of the auxiliary ligand on the structure of cadmium p-xylenediphosphonates. ► The cis and trans configurations of p-xylenediphosphonates exist in the same crystal structure. ► Three-dimensional 4-connected framework with PtS network topology.