Copper-Based Coordination Polymers: Geometric Ligand Engineering for Targeted Urease Inhibition

Urease is a key enzyme in nitrogen cycling and a critical target in efforts to regulate urea-based fertilization for agricultural sustainability. Copper-based coordination polymers (Cu-CPs) have emerged as potent urease inhibitors, with molecular design playing a central role in dictating their activity. In particular, V-shaped ligands provide unique steric and electronic environments that can fine-tune polymer architecture and bioactivity. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of V-shaped ligand-assisted engineering strategies for copper-based coordination polymers, focusing on their structure-function relationships, urease inhibition efficiency, synthetic strategies, and agricultural applications. By analyzing ten recent studies, this work synthesizes the state-of-the-art in ligand-based modulation of Cu-CP frameworks. Furthermore, the agricultural relevance of these materials is assessed through the lens of soil-plant nitrogen retention, enzymatic inhibition kinetics, and long-term soil health. Emphasis is placed on the bridging coordination modes, ligand-metal affinity, and cooperative inhibition mechanisms that define bioactivity. This paper provides a structural roadmap for future Cu-CP design, proposing molecular and synthetic benchmarks for sustainable urease inhibition technologies.