A novel multifunctional Cd (II) coordination polymer based on viologen: photochromic, photocontrolled fluorescence and amines detection

A novel coordination polymer, named [Cd(HCOO)(pbpy)0.5(bdc)(H2O)]·3H2O (1), based on a new flexible viologen ligand 1,1′-[1,4-phenylenebis(methylene)]-bis(4,4′-bipyridinium) dichloride (pbpy·2Cl), Cd(NO3)2·4H2O and terephthalic acid (H2bdc) was synthesized. Compound 1 has good photosensitive activity and can also respond to sunlight at room temperature. And using time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) to study the discoloration mechanism of compound 1. Attractively, 1 has the ability to select and detect amines due to the electron-deficient properties of pbpy·2Cl. In addition, photocontrolled luminescence properties of 1, during the coloration-decoloration process, has been researched.