Ligand configuration introduced into a 3D self-interpenetrated coordination polymer as visible-light-driven photocatalyst

The combination of 1,4-bis(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)benzene (BIYB) and anthraquinone-2,7-disulfonic acid (H2AQDA) ligands leads to a copper coordination polymer, namely, {[Cu(BIYB)2(AQDA)]·H2O}n (1). The cis-BIYB ligands link one unique Cu(II) atoms to give 1D double chains, but trans-BIYB connects the other Cu(II) centers to generate 2D (4,4)-layers. Each H2AQDA ligand acts as a μ2-bridging linking the double chains and (4,4)-layers to generate the 3D framework of 1. Cu(1) and Cu(2) can be viewed as 6- and 4-connected nodes, which lead to a (4,6)-connected self-penetrated network. Notably, complex 1 represents the rare example of coordination polymer-based visible-light-driven photocatalyst, and shows good degradation efficiency of organic dye.