Self-assembly of a snake-like blue photoluminescent coordination polymer from 4,4′-bis(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)biphenyl and zinc acetate

A novel snake-like zinc(II) coordination polymer with blue photoluminescence, {[Zn(bimb)(OAc)2]·6H2O}∞ [bimb = 4,4′-bis(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)biphenyl, OAc = acetate anion], was obtained by reaction of Zn(OAc)2·2H2O with the ligand bimb. The X-ray crystal structural analysis indicates that two independent single-stranded helical chains are interwoven like two entwined snakes and held together through hydrogen bonds and π-π interactions.