Isostructural 1D coordination polymers of Zn(II), Cd(II) and Cu(II) with phenylpropynoic acid and DABCO as organic linkers

•Isostructural 1D coordination polymers of divalent Zn, Cd and Cu have been synthesized.•Phenylpropynoic acid and DABCO are used as organic ligand and linker, respectively.•Coordination polymers are characterized by single crystal XRD data.•DABCO links paddle wheel secondary building motifs to form the polymer chain.•Polymer chains are connected by weak π–π and CH…π interactions in the solid.

Using phenylpropynoic acid (PPA) and 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (DABCO) as organic spacers, isostructural coordination polymers of Zn(II), Cd(II) and Cu(II) were synthesized by solvothermal method and structurally characterized using single crystal XRD, powder XRD, 13C CP-MAS NMR spectroscopy. Single crystal XRD data revealed four PPA units coordinating with two metal ions forming a paddle wheel secondary building unit (SBU). The paddle wheel units are connected through coordination of DABCO nitrogen to the metal centers from the axial positions leading to the formation of the 1D coordination polymers along the c axis. Intermolecular π stacking and CH…π interactions between the adjacent polymer chains convert the 1D coordination polymer into an interesting 3D network with the CH…π bonds running along the crystallographic a and b axes. Thermal and nitrogen adsorption studies of these coordination polymers are reported.