Structural Variations in the Uranyl/4,4′-Biphenyldicarboxylate System. Rare Examples of 2D → 3D Polycatenated Uranyl-Organic Networks

4,4'-Biphenyldicarboxylic acid (H2L) was reacted with uranyl ions under solvo-hydrothermal conditions with variations in the experimental procedure (organic cosolvent, presence of additional 3d-block metal cations, and N-donor species), thus giving six complexes of the fully deprotonated acid that were characterized by their crystal structure and, in most cases, their emission spectrum. The three complexes [UO2(L)-(DMA)] (1), [UO2(L)(NMP)] (2), and [UO2(L) (NMP)] (3) include the cosolvent as a coligand, and they crystallize as two-dimensional (2D) assemblies, with different combinations of the chelating and bridging-bidentate carboxylate coordination modes, resulting in two different topologies. Complex 4, [Ni(bipy)(3)][(UO2)(2)(L)(2)(C2O4)]center dot H2O, includes oxalate coligands generated in situ and contains an anionic planar two-dimensional (2D) assembly with a {6(3)} honeycomb topology. The same hexagonal geometry is found in the homoleptic complexes [Ni(bipy)(3)][(UO2)(2)(L)(3)]center dot 6H(2)O (5) and [Ni(phen)(3)][(UO2)(2)(L)(3)]center dot 4H(2)O (6), but the large size of the hexagonal rings in these cases (similar to 17 angstrom in the longest dimension) allows 2D -> three-dimensional (3D) inclined polycatenation to occur, with the two families of networks either orthogonal in tetragonal complex 5 or at an angle of 73.4 degrees in orthorhombic complex 6. The parallel networks are arranged in closely spaced groups of two, with possible pi center dot center dot center dot pi stacking interactions, and as many as four rods from four parallel nets pass through each ring of the inclined family of nets, an unusually high degree of catenation. These are the second cases only of 2D -> 3D inclined polycatenation in uranyl organic species. Emission spectra measured in the solid state show the usual vibronic fine structure, with variations in intensity and positions of maxima that are not simply connected with the number of equatorial donors and the presence of additional metal cations.