A new two‐dimensional managnese(II) coordination polymer constructed by 2,2′‐(1,2‐phenylene)bis(1<italic>H</italic>‐imidazole‐4,5‐dicarboxylate).

In recent years, N‐heterocyclic carboxylate ligands have attracted much interest in the preparation of new coordination polymers since they contain N‐atom donors, as well as O‐atom donors, and have a rich variety of coordination modes which can lead to polymers with intriguing structures and interesting properties. A new two‐dimensional coordination polymer, namely poly[[μ3‐2,2′‐(1,2‐phenylene)bis(4‐carboxy‐1<italic>H</italic>‐imidazole‐5‐carboxylato)‐κ6<italic>O</italic>4,<italic>N</italic>3,<italic>N</italic>3′,<italic>O</italic>4′:<italic>O</italic>5:<italic>O</italic>5′]manganese(II)], [Mn(C16H8N4O8)]<italic>n</italic> or [Mn(H4Phbidc)]<italic>n</italic>, has been synthesized by the reaction of Mn(OAc)2·4H2O (OAc is acetate) with 2,2′‐(1,2‐phenylene)bis(1<italic>H</italic>‐imidazole‐4,5‐dicarboxylic acid) (H6Phbidc) under solvothermal conditions. In the polymer, each MnII ion is six‐coordinated by two N atoms from one H4Phbidc2− ligand and by four O atoms from three H4Phbidc2− ligands, forming a significantly distorted octahedral MnN2O4 coordination geometry. The MnII ions are linked by hexadentate H4Phbidc2− ligands, leading to a two‐dimensional structure parallel to the <italic>ac</italic> plane. In the crystal, adjacent layers are further connected by N—H…O hydrogen bonds, forming a three‐dimensional structure in the solid state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]