Syntheses, structures and properties of a series of bis(benzimidazole)-based coordination polymers tuned by camphorate and divalent transition metal ions

Five two-dimensional (2D) metal–organic coordination polymers, [M(D-cam)(bbbm)][M(L-cam)(bbbm)] [M = Co (1), Ni (2) and Zn (3)], [CuII(OH)(bbbm)(H2O)]2(NO3)2·2H2O (4) and [CuI(bbbm)2](HCOO) (5) [H2cam = camphoric acid and bbbm = 1,1-(1,4-butanediyl)bis-1H-benzimidazole], have been hydrothermally synthesized and structurally characterized. Complexes 1–3 are isostructural and possess three-dimensional (3D) supramolecular architectures based on two types of homochiral layers. Both 4 and 5 exhibit (4,4) layer structures, which are extended into 3D supramolecular architectures by hydrogen bonding and π–π stacking interactions, respectively. The magnetic properties of 4, as well as the thermostable and photoluminescent properties of 1–5 have been investigated.