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 Mn^II 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 Mn^II 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]