Linking patterns of ligands containing pyridyl–amine or two pyridyl terminals and their cadmium compounds: [CdL12(NO3)2], [CdL22(NO3)2] and [Cd2L32(NO3)4(H2O)4] · (C4H8O)2 [L1 = (3-py)–CHN–C6H4–O–C6H4–NH2; L2 = (4-py)–CHN–C6H4–O–C6H4–NH2; L3 = (3-py)–CHN–

We have prepared four potential linking ligands, [(3-py)–CHN–C6H4–O–C6H4–NH2, L1], [(4-py)–CHN–C6H4–O–C6H4–NH2, L2], [(3-py)–CHN–C6H4–O–C6H4–NCH–(3-py), L3] and [(4-py)–CHN–C6H4–O–C6H4–NCH–(4-py), L4], all of which contain an intervening oxydianiline fragment. Whereas ligands L1 and L2 have two types of terminal groups (pyridyl and amine groups), ligands L3 and L4 have a single type of terminal group (pyridyl groups at both terminals). Ligands L1−L3 reacted with cadmium nitrate (Cd(NO3)2 · 6H2O) to produce [CdL12(NO3)2] (1), [CdL22(NO3)2] (2) and [Cd2L32(NO3)4(H2O)4] · (C4H8O)2 (3), respectively. Compound 1 is a 2-D brick-wall coordination polymer and compound 2 is a 1-D double-strand-chain polymer. On the other hand, compound 3 is a discrete dinuclear macrocycle (molecule) with a double-helical structure, which contains THF (C4H8O) guest molecules.

Graphical abstractWe have prepared a 2-D brick-wall coordination polymer [CdL12(NO3)2], a 1-D double-strand-chain polymer [CdL22(NO3)2] and a discrete dinuclear macrocycle (molecule) [Cd2L32(NO3)4(H2O)4] · (C4H8O)2: (3-py)–CHN–C6H4–O–C6H4–NH2 (L1); (4-py)–CHN–C6H4–O–C6H4–NH2 (L2); [(3-py)–CHN–C6H4–O–C6H4–NCH–(3-py) (L3).Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide