The reaction of Zn(ClO)2 with 1,2-trans-(4-pyridyl)ethene (bpe) results in an interpenetrated network containing both the starting bpe ligand and the newly generated 1,2,3,4-tetrakis(4-pyridyl)cyclobutane (4pycb) (formed by [2 + 2] cyclization of the starting ligand), while the reactions of Zn(NO3)2 and ZnSO4 with bpe result in a dinuclear complex and a two-dimensional sheet, respectively.