Synthesis of a series of 4-pyridyl-1,2,4-triazole-containing cadmium(II) luminescent complexes.

Using two 4-substitued triazole ligands, 4-(pyrid-2-yl)-1,2,4-triazole (L(1)) and 4-(pyrid-3-yl)-1,2,4-triazole (L(2)), a series of novel triazole-cadmium(II) complexes varying from zero- to three-dimensional have been prepared and their crystal structures determined via single-crystal X-ray diffraction. [Cd(2)(micro(2)-L(1))(3)(L(1))(2)(NO(3))(mu(2)-NO(3))(H(2)O)(2)](NO(3))(2).1.75H(2)O (1) is a binuclear complex containing bidendate, monodedate and free nitrate anions. When the bridging anions SCN(-) and dca (dca = N(CN)(2)(-)) were added to the reaction system of 1, one-dimensional (1D) [Cd(L(1))(2)(NCS)(2)](n) (2) and two-dimensional (2D) [Cd(L(1))(2)(dca)(2)](n) (3) were isolated, respectively. When L(2) instead of L(1) was used, [Cd(L(2))(2)(NCS)(2)(H(2)O)(2)] (4) and 1D [Cd(L(2))(2)(dca)(2)](n) (5) were obtained. When the ratio of Cd to L(2) was changed from 1:2 to 1:1 in the reaction system of 5, three-dimensional (3D) {[Cd(3)(micro(2)-L(2))(3)(dca)(6)].0.75H(2)O}(n) (6) with 1D microporous channels along the a direction was isolated. Further investigations on other Cd(ii) salts and the L(2) ligand in a Cd to L(2) ratio of 1:1, an unexpected complex [Cd(mu(2)-L(2))(mu(3)-SO(4))(H(2)O)](n) (7) with a 3D open framework was obtained. All of the complexes exhibit strong blue fluorescence emission bands in the solid state at ambient temperature, of which the excitation and emission maxima are red-shifted to longer wavelength as compared to those in water. Powder X-ray diffraction and thermal studies were used to investigate the bulk nature of the 3D coordination polymers 6 and 7.