Reaction of Cd(II), Fe(II), and Cu(II) with a new ligand 2-(hydroxymethyl)-1H-imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylic acid (H₄hmIDC) and 4,4′-bipyridine (bpy) affords three coordination polymers of {[Cd(H₂hmIDC)(bpy)]·0.5bpy·H₂O}_n (1), [Fe₂(HhmIDC)₂]_n (2), and {[Cu₂(ITC)(bpy)(H₂O)₃]·2.5H₂O}_n (3) (ITC = imidazole-2,4,5-tricarboxylic acid), respectively. Complex 1 and complex 3 are (4,4) nets in topological view and display in different packing mode, while hydroxymethyl group in complex 3 is oxidized to carboxylic groupin situ. Complex 2 is a rare example of a cdl-e network containing both tetrahedral and square nodes. The hydroxymethyl groups act as a precursor and undergo different reactions directed by metal ions.