By modulating the synthetic strategy based on changing metal salt used in the synthesis, four new metal (II) complexes, [Cu(MIBA)(2)(H2O)(3)]center dot 2H(2)O (C22H28CuN4O9) (1), [Ni-2(MIBA)(4)(H2O)(6)](n) (C44H48Ni2N8O14) (2), [Co(MIBA)(2)](n) (C22H18CoN4O4) (3) and [Zn(MIBA)(2)](n) (C22H18ZnN4O4) (4) constructed by 4-(1H-2-methylimidazol-1-yl)benzoic acid (HMIBA) were synthesized under hydrothermal/solvothermal conditions and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, powder XRD, FT-IR, TGA and elemental analysis techniques. Although the four complexes were constructed by the same semi-rigid imidazolium carboxylate ligand, their structures are quite different. The structural analyses revealed that complex 1 is a discrete mononuclear unit, which are extended to form 3D supramolecular architectures by hydrogen bonds. Complex 2 features a 1D antenna-like chain, complex 3 exhibit a 2D + 2D -> 3D structure, and complex 4 exhibits a 3D -> 3D fourfold interpenetrating framework. Furthermore, the fluorescent properties and molecular simulation of the complex 4 was also investigated in the solid state at room temperature. (C) 2020 Published by Elsevier Ltd.