Hydrothermal synthesis, crystal structure and third-order non-linear optical property of a novel one-dimensional copper(I) cyanide–organodiimine coordination polymer [Cu6(CN)6(phen)4]n (phen=1,10-phenanthroline)

A novel one-dimensional chain coordination polymer [Cu6(CN)6(phen)4]n 1 was synthesized from the simple hydrothermal reaction of Cu(CH3COO)2·H2O, K3[Fe(CN)6] and phen·H2O. With phen, CuCN exhibits a novel B–C–B–C chain array, namely the infinite chain is propagated via alternately three-coordinate (B) and four-coordinate (C) sites of monovalent Cu ions. It should also be noticed that the compound is the first example where the parent chain not only exhibits the [Cu(phen)]+ side arm, but also is directly bound to the chelate ligand. Moreover, the third-order non-linear optical property of compound 1 was also investigated and it shows the reverse saturable absorption and self-focusing performance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]