The rctt isomer of tetrapyridylcyclobutane prepared from the solid-state [2 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of [bpeH(2)] x 2 CF(3)CO(2) [bpe = 1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)ethene] undergoes isomerization reaction to the rtct isomer in 100% yield, and this tetrahedral tetrapyridyl ligand forms two metal-organic frameworks having ptt and pts topology.