Synthesis and X-ray Structures of Zinc and Cadmium Pyridinecarboxylate Coordination Networks

New zinc(II) and cadmium(II) coordination polymers with 3-[2-(3-pyridyl)ethenyl]benzoato (L) bridging ligands have been synthesized by treating the metal salts and 3-[2-(3-pyridyl)ethenyl]benzonitrile under hydro(solvo)thermal conditions. [Zn(L)₂]·(pyridine), 1, adopts a 1D polymeric structure built from mutually perpendicular 22-membered macrocycles. Large open channels formed in 1 are filled with included pyridine guest molecules. Both [Cd₂(L)₃(NO₃)], 2, and [Cd₄(L)₆(ClO₄)₂(MeOH)₂]·(H₂O), 3, adopt complicated 2D polymeric structures that are built from carboxylate-bridged tetracadmium and dicadmium building units, respectively. Crystal data for 1:  triclinic space group P1̄, a = 8.601(1), b = 12.364(1), c = 14.224(1) Å, α = 72.687(1), β = 88.118(1), γ = 71.679(1)°, Z = 2. Crystal data for 2:  triclinic space group P1̄, a = 10.675(1), b = 12.671(1), c = 14.838(1) Å, α = 74.772(1), β = 88.283(1), γ = 73.671(1)°, Z = 2. Crystal data for 3:  monoclinic space group P2₁, a = 13.165(3), b = 20.119(9), c = 15.446(6) Å, β = 95.19(3), Z = 2.