A new water-stable cadmium(II) coordination polymer for luminescence sensing of chlortetracycline and Fe3+ ions in aqueous solution

A new ternary coordination polymer (CP), {[Cd(L)(nip)(H2O)]<middle dot>H2O}(n) (1) (L = 1,6-bis(benzimidazol-2-yl)hexane, H(2)nip = 5-nitroisophthalic acid), was hydrothermally synthesized and characterized. 1 is a two-dimensional sheet and extends into three-dimensional supramolecular networks through O-H<middle dot><middle dot><middle dot>O hydrogen bonding interactions, which displays high thermal and pH stabilities. 1 demonstrated notable selectivity, sensitivity, and reusability for the luminescent sensing of chlortetracycline (CTC) and Fe3+ ions. Density functional theory calculations and UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy were employed to investigate the possible sensing mechanisms.