Transition metal carboxylate coordination polymers with amide-bridged polypyridine co-ligands: assemblies and properties

Coordination polymers (CPs) can be formed by the self-assembly of metal ions and one kind of ligand or mixed ligands. Carboxylate anions have been extensively utilized to construct metal-organic CPs with diverse structures and topologies as well as versatile properties. The introduction of neutral nitrogen-donor co-ligands in such metal carboxylate system is an effective strategy for tuning the architectures and functionalities of metal-organic CPs. As a family of neutral nitrogen-donor co-ligands, amide-bridged polypyridine compounds have been introduced into such metal carboxylate system in the past decade. A large number of metal-organic CPs derived from the mixed ligands of carboxylate and amide-bridged polypyridine have been reported. Therefore, we present the recent developments of transition metal carboxylate CPs with amide-bridged polypyridine co-ligands in this highlight. We summarize their syntheses, structures, architectural influence factors and properties in detail. Such highlight may play a significant role in the rational design and construction of amide-bridged polypyridine-based transition metal carboxylate CPs with structure-dependent properties.