Crystal structure of bis{μ-2-methoxy-6-[(methylimino)methyl]phenolato}bis({2-methoxy-6-[(methylimino)methyl]phenolato}nickel(II)) involving different coordination modes of the same Schiff base ligand.

The structure of the title compound, [Ni₂(C₉H₁₀NO₂)4], is built up by discrete centrosymmetric dimers. Two nitrogen and three oxygen atoms of two Schiff base ligands singly deprotonated at the phenolate site form a square-pyramidal environment for each metal atom. The ligands are bonded differently to the metal centre: one of the phenolic O atoms is bound to one nickel atom, whereas another bridges the two metal atoms to form the dimer. The Ni--N/O distances fall in the range 1.8965 (13)-1.9926 (15) Å, with the Ni--N bonds being slightly longer; the fifth contact of the metal to the bridging phenolate oxygen atom is substantially elongated [2.533 (1) Å]. A similar coordination geometry was observed in the isomorphous Cu analogue previously reported by us [Sydoruk et al. (2013[Sydoruk, T. V., Buvaylo, E. A., Kokozay, V. N., Vassilyeva, O. Y. & Skelton, B. W. (2013). Acta Cryst. E69, m551-m552.]). Acta Cryst. E69, m551-m552]. In the crystal, the [Ni₂L₄] molecules form sheets parallel to the ab plane with the polar methoxy groups protruding into the intersheet space and keeping the sheets apart. Within a sheet, the molecules are stacked relative to each other in such a way that the Ni2O2 planes of neighbouring molecules are orthogonal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]