A new heterometallic 4f-3d inorganic-organic metal-nicotinic acid complex [Gd(C6NO2H5)3(H2O)2]
n
(1.5nZnCl4)nH2O, (1), has been synthesised via hydrothermal reaction and structurally characterised. Complex 1 crystallises in the space group P21/c of the monoclinic system with four formula units in a cell: a = 9.524(2), b = 20.888(4), c = 16.078(3) Å β = 104.745(2)°, V= 3093.2(9) Å3, C18H21Cl6GdN3O9Zn1.50, M
r
=891.38 g/mol, D
c
= 1.914 g/cm3, S = 0.997, μ(MoKα) = 3.844 mm1, F(000) = 1732, R = 0.0493 and wR = 0.1350. Complex 1 is characteristic of a one-dimensional polycationic chain-like structure. Photoluminescent investigation shows that the title complex displays strong emission in the blue region, which is attributed to the intraligand π–π* transition of nicotinic ligands. Optical absorption spectra of 1 reveal the presence of a wide optical bandgap of 3.73 eV.