Two novel coordination polymers with composition {[Ln(BTC)(H2O)]center dot DMF}(n) (where Ln = Ce(III) (1) and Lu(III) (2), BTC = benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylate, DMF =N,N'-dimethylformamide) have been prepared under solvothermal conditions. Properties of the compounds were investigated by single crystal X-ray diffraction, high-energy powder X-ray diffraction during in-situ heating, thermogravimetry with simultaneous evolved gas analysis, infrared spectroscopy performed at different temperatures, elemental analysis and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Sorption properties of the synthesized complexes were investigated using nitrogen and carbon dioxide adsorption experiments. Catalytic activity of compound 2 was tested in Knoevenagel condensation reactions in a series of aromatic and non-aromatic aldehydes with different active methylene compounds (malononitrile, methyl cyanoacetate), in which the reactivity of aldehydes in condensation reactions increases in the order: 2-naphthaldehyde < 4-tert-butyl benzaldehyde < benzaldehyde < cyclohexane carbaldehyde < n-heptanal. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.