Syntheses, structures, and photoluminescent properties of four d metal-quinolinato coordination polymers with similar rod-like SBUs

Four M^II quinolinato complexes, [Zn₂(quin)₂(H₂O)₃]_n (1), [Zn(quin)(H₂O)₂]_n (2), [Zn(quin)(H₂O)]_n (3) and [Cd(quin)]_n (4) (H₂quin = 2,3-pyridinedicarboxylic acid or quinolinic acid), have been hydrothermally synthesized and structurally characterized. X-ray diffraction analyses reveal that all of these four complexes are constructed from similar rod-like SBUs, [M(quin)]_n (M = Zn or Cd). Complexes 1 and 2 have similar 1-D box-like chains but different packing structures; complex 3 has a 2-D grid-like network and complex 4 has an unusual 2-D bilayer structure. Due to the different structural features, these complexes exhibit different photoluminescent emissions: complex 1 at 439 nm (λ_ex = 345 nm), complex 2 at 428 nm (λ_ex = 360 nm), complex 3 at 508 nm (λ_ex = 304 nm) and complex 4 at 500 nm (λ_ex = 324 nm).