Seven new Zn(II)/Cd(II) coordination polymers with 2-(hydroxymethyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-5-carboxylic acid: Synthesis, structures and properties

Seven new Zn(II)/Cd(II) coordination polymers with simi-rigid multitopic ligand, [(2-(hydroxymethyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazole-5-carboxylic acid) (H2L)] have been successfully obtained and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, powder X-ray diffraction and IR spectroscopy. All the complexes are air stable at room. In addition, the fluorescent emission, fluorescence lifetime and UV-vis diffuse-reflectance spectra of 1-7 and H2L have been investigated and discussed. Furthermore, we studied the Knoevenagel condensation reaction between 4-substituted aromatic aldehydes and malononitrile by activated 1a as selective heterogeneous catalyst.