An unusual three-dimensional chiral threefold polycatenating network self-assembled from inclined two-dimensional (4,4) layer motifs

In the coordination compound poly[diaqua(mu(2)-4,4'-bipyridine)(mu(2)-4-carboxylatocinnamato)nickel(II)], [Ni(C10H6O4)(C10H8N2)(H2O)(2)](n), both the 4-carboxylatocinnamate and 4,4'-bipyridine (4,4'-bpy) ligands act as bidentate bridges, connecting the Ni-II centres in an octahedral coordination geometry into a two-dimensional (4,4) layer. Each layer polycatenates two other identical layers, thus giving a rare 2D --> 3D polycatenating network (2D and 3D are two-and three-dimensional, respectively), with a mutually parallel arrangement of the layers. The chiral 4,4'-bpy ligands link the Ni-II centres into chiral chains, thus introducing chirality into the layer and the resulting 3D network.