The synthesis and structural characterization of new coordination polymers with the N,N-donor ligand trans-1,2-bis(N-methylimidazol-2-yl)ethylene (trans-bie) are reported. It was found that the acetate-bridged paddlewheel metal(II) complexes [M2(O2CCH3)4(trans-bie)]n with M = Rh, Ru, Mo, and Cr are linked by the trans-bie ligand to give a one-dimensional alternating chain. The metal-metal multiple bonds were analyzed with density functional theory and CASSCF/CASPT2 calculations (bond orders: Rh, 0.8; Ru, 1.7; Mo, 3.3).

Bis(N-methylimidazole-2-yl)butadiyne (bmib) has been prepared starting from N-methylimidazole following two different pathways. Bmib fluoresces and is capable of forming 1D coordination polymers by clamping together metal units. The molecular structure of a zinc coordination polymer based on bmib and zinc acetate resembles a battlement of a fortress.

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