A (3,4)-connected two-dimensional copper coordination polymer with a 2D → 3D polycatenation network

The reaction of 1,3,5-tri(1,2,4-triazol-1-ylmethyl)-2,4,6-trimethylbenzene (ttmb) with CuCl2 yields a coordination polymer [Cu3(ttmb)2(H2O)6Cl6]n·3nH2O (1). The flexible ligand ttmb shows the cis,cis,cis-conformation and a tri-monodentate coordination mode in 1. Each ttmb links three Cu(II) atoms to form an undulated (3,4)-connected two-dimensional network. Each undulated two-dimensional network polycatenates other two identical networks, thus giving a rare (2D → 3D) parallel polycatenation network in 1. The thermal stability of compound 1 was studied.