Sensing and photocatalytic properties of a new 3D Co(ii) coordination polymer based on 1,1′-di(p-carboxybenzyl)-2,2′-biimidazole

Abstract

A new Co(II) coordination polymer {[Co(DCB)]·2H₂O}_n (1) (H₂DCB = 1,1′-di(p-carboxybenzyl)-2,2′-biimidazole) was synthesized under hydrothermal conditions and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, IR spectroscopic, elemental and thermogravimetric analyses. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analyses indicate that 1 exhibits a unique 3D two-fold interpenetrated network with a point symbol of {4¹²·6³}. 1 displays high sensitivity in the detection of Fe³⁺, Cr₂O₇²⁻, CrO₄²⁻ and nitrofurantoin (NFT) in aqueous solution. In addition, 1 is an effective and stable photocatalyst and displays excellent photo-catalytic properties for methylene blue (MB) and Rhodamine B (RhB) in aqueous solution.