Two CoII-based coordination polymers, namely poly[(μ4-biphenyl-2,2′,5,5′-tetracarboxylato){μ2-1,3-bis[(1H-imidazol-1-yl)methyl]benzene}dicobalt(II)], [Co2(C16H6O8)(C14H14N4)2]
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or [Co2(o,m-bpta)(1,3-bimb)2]
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(I), and poly[[aqua(μ4-biphenyl-2,2′,5,5′-tetracarboxylato){1,4-bis[(1H-imidazol-1-yl)methyl]benzene}dicobalt(II)] dihydrate], {[Co2(C16H6O8)(C14H14N4)2(H2O)2]·4H2O}
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or {[Co2(o,m-bpta)(1,4-bimb)2(H2O)2]·4H2O}
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(II), were synthesized from a mixture of biphenyl-2,2′,5,5′-tetracarboxylic acid, i.e. [H4(o,m-bpta)], CoCl2·6H2O and N-donor ligands under solvothermal conditions. The complexes were characterized by IR spectroscopy, elemental analysis, single-crystal X-ray diffraction and powder X-ray diffraction analysis. The bridging (o,m-bpta)4− ligands combine with CoII ions in different μ4-coordination modes, leading to the formation of one-dimensional chains. The central CoII atoms display tetrahedral [CoN2O2] and octahedral [CoN2O4] geometries in I and II, respectively. The bis[(1H-imidazol-1-yl)methyl]benzene (bimb) ligands adopt trans or cis conformations to connect CoII ions, thus forming two three-dimensional (3D) networks. Complex I shows a (2,4)-connected 3D network with left- and right-handed helical chains constructed by (o,m-bpta)4− ligands. Complex II is a (4,4)-connected 3D novel network with ribbon-like chains formed by (o,m-bpta)4− linkers. Magnetic studies indicate an orbital contribution to the magnetic moment of I and II due to the longer Co...Co distances. An attempt has been made to fit the χM
T results to the magnetic formulae for mononuclear CoII complexes, the fitting indicating the presence of weak antiferromagnetic interactions between the CoII ions.