Combination of a non-planar tripodal ligand 3,4-bi(4-carboxyphenyl)-benzoic acid (H3L) and Zn5O4-cluster secondary building units affords a highly connected three-dimensional metal–organic framework, [Zn5(μ3-OH)3(μ2-OH)L2(H2O)2](H2O)2}n (1), which exhibits an unusual (3,4,9)-connected (42.5)(3.43.52)(32.45.511.613.73.82) topological net. The thermal stability and solid luminescence of the crystalline material have also been investigated.