Zinc maleate and fumarate coordination polymers containing hydrogen-bonding capable organodiimines featuring ligand dependent in situ cis–trans isomerization

Abstract Solution phase reaction at ambient temperature of zinc nitrate, maleic acid and 4,4′-dipyridylamine (dpa) afforded {[Zn 2 (maleate) 2 (dpa) 2 ]·5H 2 O} n ( 1 ), which displayed parallel (4,4)-grid like coordination polymer layers interdigitated into double layer slab motifs via hydrogen bonding. A similar reaction employing bis(4-pyridylmethyl)piperazine (bpmp) caused in situ cis – trans isomerization of maleic acid to fumarate, and generation of [Zn(fumarate)(bpmp)(H 2 O) 2 ] n ( 2 ). Compound 2 also manifested (4,4)-grid coordination polymer layers similar to those in 1 ; however, the larger apertures in 2 permit 2d + 2d → 3D mutually inclined interpenetration. Thermogravimetric and luminescence studies are also reported for 1 and 2 .