Two new Keggin-type polyoxoanion-templated inorganic-organic hybrids, [Cu(3,4-bpo)(2)(H2O) (SiW12O40)] center dot (3,4-H(2)bpo) center dot 7H(2)O (1), and [Cu(4,4'-Hbpo)(2)(4,4'-bpo)(H2O)(SiW12O40)] center dot 3H(2)O (2) (3,4-bpo = 2-(3-pyridyl)-5-(4-pyridyl)- 1,3,4-oxadiazole, 4,4'-bpo = 2,5-bis(4-pyridyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole), have been hydrothermally synthesized by changing the terminal N-donor's orientation of the nonlinear ligands. X-ray structural analyses indicate that compound 1 shows a two-dimensional (2D) (4,4) grid sheet. The discrete SiW12O404- anions as templates locate on the square voids of the sheet. Compound 2 exhibits an arm-shaped chain structure. It is believed that the isomeric organic ligands play a key role in the structure control of the self-assembly processes. Furthermore, compound 1 bulk-modified carbon paste electrode (1-CPE) displays good electrocatalytic activity toward the reduction of nitrite. (c) 2010 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.