A flexible bipyridyl-type linking ligand and its coordination polymers of cobalt, zinc and cadmium:: [Co(L)(NO3)2], [Zn(L)(NO3)2], [CdL2(NO3)2] and [CdL2(NO3)2](C6H6)2 (L = (4-py)-CH2-NH-(CH3)C6H3-C6H3(CH3)-NH-CH2-(4-py))

A long, flexible bipyridyltype linking ligand L [(4py)-CH2-NH-(CH3)C6H3-C6H3(CH3)-NH-CH2-(4-py)], which possesses two terminal 4-pyridyl groups, was prepared by reducing its parent diimine ligand (4-py)-CH=N-(CH3)C6H3-C6H3(CH3)-N=CH-(4-py). Four novel polymeric species based on L, [Co(L)-(NO3)(2)] (1), [Zn(L)(NO3)(2)] (2), [CdL2(NO3)(2)] (3) and [CdL2(NO3](2)](C6H6)(2) (4), could be synthesized under solvothermal conditions. Whereas polymers 1 and 2 have a 1D zigzag-chain structure, polymers 3 and 4 have a 2D network structure. The N center dot center dot center dot N separation between the two pyridyl groups in L (the free ligand) is 19.871(3) angstrom, whereas this distance varies from 11.934(4) to 16.373(8) angstrom in its coordination polymers. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.