Hydrothermal crystal engineering using hard and soft acids and bases: synthesis and X-ray crystal structures of the metal hydroxide-based phases M3M '(2)(OH)(2)[NC5H3(CO2)(2)-2,4](4)(H2O)(4) (M = Co, Ni, Zn; M ' = Pd, Pt)

Solvothermal reaction of K2M'Cl-4 (M' = Pd, Pt) with pyridine dicarboxylate and excess base produces isostructural coordination solids in which 'complex ligands' containing palladium or platinum coordinate to metal hydroxide chains.