Two uranyl-copper(II) bimetallic coordination polymers containing trans-3,3(pyridyl)acrylic acid: Structural variance through synthetic subtleties

Subtle, yet distinguishing, changes to synthetic conditions produce significant and notable structural changes within uranyl-copper bimetallic hybrid materials. [Display omitted] •Multifunctional ligands can assist in generating bimetallic materials with uranyl and transition metal cations.•Structural characterization of hydrothermally synthesized uranyl-copper bimetallic coordination polymers.•Subtle changes to the synthetic conditions can produced noticeable and significant structural variation.•Copper metal centers quench uranyl luminescence. The hydrothermal reaction of the uranyl cation, copper(II), and trans-3,3(pyridyal)acrylic acid (T33PA) has yielded two new bimetallic uranyl containing coordination polymers, (UO2)2(C8H6O2N)6Cu (1) and [(UO2)2(O)(H2O)(C8H6O2N)3CuCl]·H2O (2). Herein we discuss the synthesis, structure, and luminescent properties of the 2D compounds 1 and 2, both of which contain uranyl-copper(II) cation-cation interactions (CCIs) and diminished uranyl emission. Further, compound 2 exhibits a similar architecture to that of a known compound, [(UO2)2Cu(C8H6O2N)3(O)(H2O)]·NO3, formed through nearly identical, yet distinguishing, synthetic conditions. The observed structural differences thereof suggest that subtle changes to synthetic conditions can produce significant and notable structural changes in bimetallic hybrid materials.