4,4'-Bipyridine-N-monoxide. A hybrid ligand for building networks using a combination of metal-ligand and hydrogen-bonding interactions.

The ligand 4,4'-bipyridine-N-monoxide, (BIPYMO) coordinates through the pyridine N-donor to Pt(II) and Pd(II) to form square planar [ML(4)](2+) complexes and to Cu(II) and Zn(II) to form octahedral trans-[M(H(2)O)(2)L(4)](2+) complexes. Single crystal X-ray structures show that these individual building blocks are organized via hydrogen bonding through the external N-oxide O-atoms to form 2D and 3D networks.