LAUSR

Abstract Three chiral metal–organic coordination polymers (CCPs) [Co(L)(bimb)] (1), [Cd(L)(bimb)] (2), [Zn(L)(bimb)] (3), (L = (R)-4-(4-(1-carboxyethoxy)phenoxy)-3-nitrobenzoic acid; bimb = 4,4′-bis((1H-imidazol-1-yl)methyl)-1,1′-biphenyl) have been successfully obtained via solvothermal reactions. The isomorphic 2D sq1 type network structures of CCPs 1–3 were determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis and further characterized by elemental analyses, IR, PXRD, TGA and circular dichroism (CD) spectra. Crystallized in chiral space group, CCPs 1–3 exhibit obvious Cotton effects in CD spectra and are proved to be second-harmonic generation (SHG) active. CCPs 1–3 also exhibit luminescence properties, the intensities of which could be affected by some metal cations, especially Fe3+. The Fe3+ sensing and photo catalytic properties toward methylene blue (MB) were also studied.