A series of Zn-4f heterometallic coordination polymers and a zinc complex containing a flexible mixed donor dicarboxylate ligand.

A new zinc compound, together with a corresponding series of Zn-4f heterometallic coordination polymers, namely, [Zn(H2PBDA)(PBDA)]n (1), {[Ln2(PBDA)2·2H2O] [Zn2(PBDA)2Cl2]}n [H2PBDA = 3-(pyridin-3-yl-oxy) benzene-1,2-dicarboxylic acid, and Ln = Pr(2), Nd(3), Eu(4), Gd(5), Dy(6), Ho(7), Er(8)] have been hydrothermally synthesized and characterized systematically. Polymers 2-8 feature two-dimensional (2D) 4,4 networks, containing the original 1D heterometallic double stranded chains composed of [Ln2Zn2(PBDA)2] entities. The extensive hydrogen bonding and π-π stacking interactions were observed to stabilize the extended architectures. The luminescence emission spectra of the polymers vary depending on the lanthanide(III) ion present. Informative magnetic susceptibility measurements show that the same carboxylate bridging fashion of the PBDA ligand results in the different magnetic properties occurring within the heterometallic coordination polymers. In addition, polymer 6 exhibits an interesting slow magnetic relaxation behavior at lower temperatures.