Four novel lead(II) metal-organic coordination polymers, [Pb-2(Hcpip)(4)](n) (1), [Pb-2(Hcpip)(2)(ox)](n) (2), [Pb-2(Hcpip)(2)(suc)](n) (3), [Pb-2(cpip)(2)(glu)(H2O)](n)center dot(H2O) (4) [H(2)cpip = 2-(2-carboxyphenyl)imidazo(4,5-f)(1,10)-phenanthroline, H(2)ox = oxalic acid, H(2)suc = succinic acid, H(2)glu = glutaric acid], have been hydrothermally synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR, single crystal X-ray diffraction. Complex I exhibits a 2D layer structure. Complexes 2 and 3 feature 1D loop-and-chain structures, which are connected by strong pi center dot center dot center dot pi interaction to result in 2D layer structures. Complex 4 has the dinuclear parallelogram of [Pb2O2] and shows a 2D layer structure. The structural differences of these complexes give some insights into the effect of different auxiliary ligands on the construction of coordination polymers under the same hydrothermal conditions. The fluorescent properties of 1-4 were investigated. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.