3D Coordination Polymer of Cd(II) with an Imidazolium-Based Linker Showing Parallel Polycatenation Forming Channels with Aligned Imidazolium Groups

A novel entangled architecture formed on solvothermal reaction of a imidazolium based bent ligand with Cd­(NO3)2, showing 1D channels decorated with imidazolium groups, is reported. The polymer, {[Cd2(L)3(DMF)­(NO3)]­(DMF)3(H2O)8}n (1) (where H2L = 1,3-bis­(4-carboxyphenyl)­imidazolium, DMF = dimethylformamide), shows an interesting 6,3-connected polycatenated structure with channels along the crystallographic b-axis occupied with large number of DMF and water molecules. On removal of these solvent molecules the compound maintains its overall structure. Proton conductivity investigation affords a proton conductivity of 1.3 × 10–5 Scm–1 at 25 °C and 98% RH when water molecules are introduced into the empty channels.