Luminescent pillared LnIII–ZnII heterometallic coordination frameworks with two kinds of N-heterocyclic carboxylate ligands

In our efforts toward rational design and systematic synthesis of 'pillar-layer' structure coordination frameworks, four new LnIII–ZnII heterometallic coordination polymers (CPs) based on two kinds of N-heterocyclic carboxylic ligands with formula ([LnZn(L1)2(L2)(H2O)m]·nH2O)∞ (Ln=La (1), Eu (2), Gd (3) and Dy (4), m=3 (for 1) and 2 (for 2–4), n=8 (for 1) and 7 (for 2–4), H2L1=pyridine-2,3-dicarboxylate acid, HL2=isonicotinic acid), have been synthesized under hydrothermal reaction of Ln2O3, ZnO, H2L1 and HL2. CP 1 has a three-dimensional (3D) structure with a (3,6)-connected sit topology network, while CPs 2–4 are isostructural with 3D single-node pcu alpha-Po topology network. Also, luminescent properties of these CPs have also been investigated. The emission of 1 and 3 should be attributed to the coordination-perturbed ligand-centered luminescence and the emission spectra of 2 and 4 show the characteristic bands of the corresponding LnIII ions. - Graphical abstract: Four new 3D LnIII–ZnII coordination frameworks with "pillar-layer" sit or pcu alpha-Po topology have been successfully obtained. Moreover, the photoluminescent properties of compounds 1–4 have also been investigated. - Highlights: • Four new LnIII–ZnII heterometallic coordination frameworks with two types of topologies have been synthesized. • Metal oxides and two kinds of N-heterocyclic carboxylate ligands were used for the construction of targeted coordination polymers. • The luminescent properties of the coordination polymers are investigated