With diverse multi-dentate N-heterocyclic/diamine molecules as the cations, the reactions between Cd2+ and SCN− in C2H5OH/H2O solution acidified by H2SO4 created five new thiocyanatocadmates [H2(bim)][Cd(SCN)2(H2O)2]SO4 (bim = 2,2′-biimidazole) 1, [H2(pympip)]2[Cd2(SCN)4(SO4)2(H2O)4]·2H2O (pympip = 1-(2-pyrimidyl)piperazine) 2, [H2(tdpy)]2[Cd3(SCN)10] (tdpy = 4,4′-thiodipyridine) 3, [H2(badpm)][Cd(SCN)4] (badpm = 4,4′-biaminodiphenylmethane) 4 and [H2(pdma)][Cd2(SCN)4(SO4)] (pdma = 1,4-phenylenedimethanamine) 5. It is noteworthy that (i) in compounds 1, 2 and 5, SO42− was incorporated into the organically templated thiocyanatocadmate frameworks; (ii) compound 3 is a rare example, in which two types of chained thiocyanatocadmates are found, and (iii) compound 5 shows an interesting layer structure, constructed up from the ribboned thiocyanatocadmates by μ2-mode SO42−. Photoluminescence analysis revealed that compounds 1, 2 and 5 in solid state emit blue light with the maximum at 425 nm for 1, 405 nm for 2 and 445 nm for 5, respectively.
