Structural modulation of Co(II) coordination polymers with flexible bis(benzimidazole) and different dicarboxylate ligands

•Two Co coordination polymers constructed by mixed-ligands have been characterized.•Effect of aromatic carboxylates on the structures of compounds was discussed.•Luminescence properties of complexes have been investigated.•Complexes show high catalytic activity for degradation of methyl orange.

Two complexes [Co2(L)2(npht)2·H2O]n (1) and [Co(L)(mip)·0.5H2O]n (2) (H2npht = 3-nitrophthalic acid, L = 1,3-bis(5,6-dimethylbenzimidazol)propane, H2mip = 5-methylisophthalic acid) were obtained under hydrothermal conditions. In compound 1, two npht2− ligands connect two crystallographically independent Co atoms to form a binuclear [Co2(npht)]2 subunit, further linked by L ligands to generate a 1D ladder-like chain, which is arranged into a 2D supramolecular layer through face-to-face π–π stacking interactions. Compound 2 exhibits a 2D 4-connected coordination network. The fluorescence properties of 1 and 2 have been investigated in the solid-state. Both complexes show higher catalytic behaviors for degradation of methyl orange dye.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide