4′-((4-cyanobenzyl)oxy)-[1,1′-biphenyl] -4-carboxylic acid based Cd(II), Co(II), Mn(II) and Ni(II) coordination polymers as photocatalyst for nitrofurazone degradation

Abstract

Coordination polymers are peculiar sub-class of coordination complexes that due to their tunable electronic properties offer prospective applications in the field of photocatalysis. In this work four newly designed coordination polymers (CPs) with general formula [M(HL)2(bbp)(H2O)2]n (where M = Cd (1), Co (2), Mn (3) and Ni (4); (HL = 4′-((4-cyanobenzyl)oxy)-[1,1′-biphenyl]-4-carboxylic acid, bbp = 4,4′-bis(imidazolyl)biphenyl) have been synthesized hydrothermally and characterized using microanalyses, FTIR, UV–Vis, thermogravimetric analyses (TGA) and finally by single crystal X-ray analysis. All the four coordination polymers possess distorted octahedral geometry around their respective metal centers satisfied by two HL, one bbp and two aqua ligands. These polymers exhibit semiconducting properties and hence have been used as photocatalysts for the degradation of nitrofurazone (NFZ) antibiotic. The photocatalysis studies indicate that 81.2 %, 84.3 %, 88.1 % and 92.2 % photodegradation of NFZ by CPs 1, 2, 3 and 4, respectively. This showcase the photocatalytic applicability of these CPs, especially the CP 4. The plausible mechanism using which these photocatalysts decompose NFZ have been explored with the aid of Hirshfeld surface analyses.