1,1'-Biphenyl-2,2',6,6'-tetracarboxylic acid (H4L) was reacted with uranyl nitrate; either alone or in the presence of additional metal cations (Ni2+, Cu2+, Dy3+) under (solvo)-hydrothermal conditions, giving six complexes which were characterized by their crystal structure and, in all but one case, their emission spectrum in the solid state. [Ni(bipy)(3)][UO2(H2L)-(H2O)](2)(NO3)(2)center dot 3H(2)O (1) crystallizes as a one-dimensional (1D), ribbon-like coordination polymer, while the homometallic complex [(UO2)(2)(L)(H2O)(3)]center dot H2O-CH3CN (2) and the heterometallic complexes [UO2Cu(L)-(H2O)(2)]center dot H2O (3), [UO2Cu(L)(H2O)]center dot H2O (4), and [(UO2)(5)Cu-4(HL)(6)(bipy)(4)]center dot 2H(2)O (5) display two-dimensional (2D) arrangements. Lastly, the uranyl-lanthanide heterometallic complex [(UO2)(8)Dy(HL)(6)(H2O)(8)](I)center dot 8H(2)O (6) crystallizes as a three-dimensional (3D) framework. Although these assemblies adopt different topologies, the {4(2).6} linear motif found in 1 is discernible in the structures of 2, 5, and 6, in which the higher dimensionality arises from further bridging of these subunits by uranyl (2), copper (5), or both uranyl and dysprosium (6) cations. The tetracarboxylic/ate ligands have their two aromatic rings nearly perpendicular to one another: No two of them adopt the same coordination mode in this series (except in the similar complexes 3 and 4), but chelation involving one carboxylate group from each ring is nearly ubiquitous, and the ensuing position of the cation favors the formation of planar architectures. The emission spectra of complexes 2-5 measured in the solid state show the usual uranyl vibronic fine structure, although with significant differences in the emission intensity, while complete quenching of the luminescence is observed in 1.