Syntheses, structures and properties of novel d10 coordination polymers based on 4-[(1H-imidazol-4-yl)methylamino]benzoic acid ligand

Complete and partial deprotonation of new ligand 4-[(1H-imidazol-4-yl)methylamino]benzoic acid (H2L) under hydrothermal conditions lead to the formation of two novel coordination polymers [ZnL]n (1) and [Ag(HL)]n (2). Complex 1 displays a rare three-dimensional (3,6)-connected rtl framework with (4 · 62)2(42 · 610 · 83) topology, while 2 has a one-dimensional chair-like structure including significant argentophilic Ag–Ag interactions. Both 1 and 2 show remarkable thermal stability and complex 1 was found to show strong blue luminescence with emission maxima at 381 nm upon excitation at 347 nm in the solid state at room temperature.