Synthesis and crystal structure of poly[ethanol(μ-4-methylpyridine <i>N</i>-oxide)di-μ-thiocyanato-cobalt(II)]

Reaction of 4-methyl-pyridine <i>N</i>-oxide and Co(NCS)₂ in ethanol as solvent accidentally leads to the formation of single crystals of Co(NCS)₂(4-methyl-pyridine <i>N</i>-oxide)(ethanol) or [Co(NCS)₂(C₆H₇NO)(C₂H₆O)] _<i>n</i> . The asymmetric unit of the title compound consists of one Co^II cation, two crystallographically independent thio-cyanate anions, one 4-methyl-pyridine <i>N</i>-oxide coligand and one ethanol mol-ecule on general positions. The cobalt cations are sixfold coordinated by one terminal and two bridging thio-cyanate anions, two bridging 4-methyl-pyridine <i>N</i>-oxide coligands and one ethanol mol-ecule, with a slightly distorted octa-hedral geometry. The cobalt cations are linked by single μ-1,3(<i>N</i>,<i>S</i>)-bridging thio-cyanate anions into corrugated chains, that are further connected into layers by pairs of μ-1,1(<i>O</i>,<i>O</i>)-bridging 4-methyl-pyridine <i>N</i>-oxide coligands. The layers are parallel to the <i>bc</i> plane and are separated by the methyl groups of the 4-methyl-pyridine <i>N</i>-oxide coligands. Within the layers, intra-layer hydrogen bonding is observed.