Hydrothermal　reaction　of　the　carboxylate-based　ligands　with　metal　salts　(or　oxide)　and　4,4′-bipyridine　as　a　second　linker,　afforded　three　new　coordination　polymers,　namely,　[Co(PCPA)2(4,4′-bpy)]n　(1)　with　2-D　rectangle　grids,　Cu(PCPA)2(4,4′-bpy)]n　(2)　with　a　linear　chain,　[Ag(PCPA)(PCPAH)(4,4′-bpy)　·　H2O]n　(3)　with　1-D　molecular　ladder　(4,4′-bpy　=　4,4′-bipyridine;　PCPA　=　p-chlorophenoxyacetate;　PCPAH　=　p-chlorophenoxyacetic　acid).　It　is　noticeable　that　compound　3　is　also　a　supramolecular　framework　built　by　coordination　bonds,　weak　interactions　between　Ag　ions,　π-π　stacking　interactions　and　hydrogen-bonded　interactions.　The　three　compounds　with　different　structure　motifs　have　been　characterized　by　elemental　analyses,　IR　spectra,　ultraviolet-visible　diffuse　reflection　integral　spectra,　fluorescent　spectra　and　single　crystal　X-ray　diffraction　analysis.　Furthermore,　the　bonding　properties　of　compound　3　were　investigated　in　terms　of　the　absorption　spectrum,　as　well　as　the　calculated　band　structures　and　density　of　states.　©　2007　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.