A new one-dimensional Cu complex with a three-dimensional supramolecular architecture incorporating benzene-1,3-dicarboxylate and 1-[(1H-benzotriazol-1-yl)methyl]-1H-imidazole.

Subtle modifications of N-donor ligands can result in complexes with very different compositions and architectures. In the complex catena-poly[[bis{1-[(1H-benzotriazol-1-yl)methyl]-1H-imidazole-κN}copper(II)]-μ-benzene-1,3-dicarboxylato-κO,O:O], {[Cu(CHO)(CHN)(HO)]·2HO}, each Cu ion is six-coordinated by two N atoms from two crystallographically independent 1-[(1H-benzotriazol-1-yl)methyl]-1H-imidazole (bmi) ligands, by three O atoms from two symmetry-related benzene-1,3-dicarboxylate (bdic) ligands and by one water molecule, leading to a distorted CuNO octahedral coordination environment. The Cu ions are connected by bridging bdic anions to generate a one-dimensional chain. The bmi ligands coordinate to the Cu ions in monodentate modes and are pendant on opposite sides of the main chain. In the crystal, the chains are linked by O-H...O and O-H...N hydrogen bonds, as well as by π-π interactions, into a three-dimensional network. A thermogravimetric analysis was carried out and the fluorescence behaviour of the complex was also investigated.