A unique 1D luminescent CdII coordination chain in situ resulted from C–S bond cleavage

Hydrothermal reaction of CdI2 with BMSA (BMSA = (1H-Benzoimidazol-2-ylsulfanyl)acetic acid) resulted in a unique 1D Cd2+ coordination polymer (1) with BMT (BMT = benzoimidazole-2-thiol) as organic building blocks, which are generated from in situ C–S bond cleavage of BMSA. The polymer is composed of an inorganic skeleton chain [CdS2]n with BMT anchoring on both sides like wings. The free BMT ligand in (1) plays an important role in the construction of the 2D superamolecular structure via N–H⋯S hydrogen bonds. The luminescence emission spectrum of (1) features a broad luminescence with emission maxima at 390 nm when excited at 270 nm.