Hydrothermal reactions of d(10) metal ions (Cd2+ and Zn2+) with 1,4-naphthalenedicarboxylate acid (1,4-H2NDC) and 4,4'-dipyridyl N,N'-dioxide (4,4'-dpdo) form two three-dimensional grid-like coordination polymers [Cd-2(1,4-NDC)(2)(4,4'-dpdo)center dot H2O 1 and [Zn-4(mu(3)-OH)(2)(1,4-NDC)(3)(H2O)(2)](4,4'-dpdo)center dot 2H(2)O 2. Both coordination polymers were characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopy, XRPD, thermogravimetric and elemental analyses. Polymer 1 exhibits rare alternating arranged 1,4-NDC2- and 4,4'-dpdo spacers between adjacent 1D zigzag chains containing Cd-octahedral coordination geometries. Polymer 2 is constructed from infrequent chair-like [Zn-4(mu(3)-OH)(2)](6+) inorganic SBUs with four- and six-coordination geometries and only 1,4-NDC2- as "single-bridge" and "double-bridges" to form a 3D framework. Both polymers give strong luminescent emissions in the solid state at room temperature. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.