catena-Poly[[bis[μ-2-(3-pyridyl)-1H-benzimidazole]-κ2N2:N3;κ2N3:N2disilver(I)]-μ-2,5-icarboxybenzene1,4-dicarboxylato-κ2O2:O]

The title coordination polymer, [Ag-2(C10H4O8)(C12H9N3)(2)](n), was prepared by a hydrothermal method. The Ag-I atom exists in a strongly distorted trigonal coordination environment. Two AgI ions related by an inversion centre are coordinated by two 2-(3-pyridyl) benzimidazole ligands, forming a centrosymmetric cyclic dimer. The bridging bidentate 2,5-dicarboxybenzene-1,4- dicarboxylate ligand is also located on an inversion centre and connects the binuclear units, generating a one-dimensional polymer. The almost-planar conformation of this ligand allows it to form a strong intramolecular O-H center dot center dot center dot O hydrogen bond. Finally, intermolecular N-H center dot center dot center dot O hydrogen bonds aggregate the chains into a three-dimensional framework.