Syntheses and structures of three novel coordination compounds assembled with 1,1′-(2,2′-oxybis(ethane-2,1-diyl))bis(1H-imidazole)

A new long flexible ligand, 1,1′-(2,2′-oxybis(ethane-2,1-diyl))bis(1H-imidazole) (L), has been prepared. The hydrothermal reactions of L with various metal ions (M(II) = Cu(II), Cd(II) and Ni(II)) yielded three new coordination compounds consisting of 0D, 1D and 2D structures. Compound 1 is a dinuclear M2L2 metallocycle. Compound 2 is a double-stranded chain running along b axis direction. Compound 3 affords highly undulated 2D (4, 4) layers. In addition, complex 2 exhibits strong blue photoluminescence.