Novel interpenetrating and non-interpenetrating structures based on semi-rigid 4,4′-biphenyl-based ligand

The reactions of semi-rigid bidentate ligand 4,4′-bis(benzimidazol-1-ylmethyl)biphenyl (bbmb) with NiCl2 and CuCl2 and Cd(OAc)2 afford novel complexes {[M(bbmb)2(Cl)(OH)](H2O)2}n (M = Ni(1), Cu(2)) and [Cd2(OAc)4(bbmb)3]2(CH3OH)3(H2O)2 (3). Both complexes and feature parallel 2-fold interpenetrating (4,4)-windmill-like layer morphology. Complex presents unique discrete quad-nuclear motif comprised by two couples of alternating single and double twisting chains. The three complexes exhibit active second-order NLO effects.