Manganese(II)　and　nickel(II)　coordination　polymers,　[Mn(L)(H2O)2]n　(1)　and　[Ni(L)·14H2O]n　(2),　have　been　synthesized　from　a　rigid　viologen-based　tetracarboxylic　acid　ligand,　1,1′-bis(3,5-dicarboxyphenyl)-4,4′-bipyridinium　dichloride　(H4L·2Cl)　and　the　Mn(II)/Ni(II)　chlorides.　The　compounds　have　been　characterized　by　infrared　spectra,　elemental　analyses,　single-crystal　and　powder　X-ray　diffraction　analyses　and　thermogravimetric　analyses.　Compound　1　has　a　2D　coordination　network　with　uncoordinated　carboxyl　groups,　which　further　stack　into　a　3D　supramolecular　structure　by　hydrogen-bonding　interactions.　Compound　2　shows　a　3D　supramolecular　framework　with　1D　channels　along　the　crystallographic　b-axis,　formed　from　zigzag　chains　through　hydrogen-bonding　interactions.　Both　compounds　display　prominent　photochromic　and　photomagnetic　behavior　upon　light　irradiation,　suggesting　that　they　may　be　potential　photomagnetic　materials.　©　2017,　Springer　International　Publishing　AG.