catena-Poly[[[N,N'-bis(salicylidene)propane-1,3-diaminato]cobalt(III)]-mu-azido] and catena-poly[[[N,N'-bis(salicylidene)propane-1,3-diaminato]cobalt(III)]-mu-thiocyanato].

The two title complexes, catena-poly[[{2,2'-[1,3-propanediylbis(nitrilomethylidyne)]diphenolato}cobalt(III)]-mu-azido], [Co(C17H16N2O2)(N3)]n, (I), and catena-poly[[{2,2'-[1,3-propanediylbis(nitrilomethylidyne)]diphenolato}cobalt(III)]-mu-thiocyanato], [Co(C17H16N2O2)(NCS)]n, (II), are isomorphous polynuclear cobalt(III) compounds. In both structures, the Co(III) atom is six-coordinated in an octahedral configuration by two N atoms and two O atoms of one Schiff base, and two terminal N or S atoms from two bridging ligands. The [N,N'-bis(salicylidene)propane-1,3-diaminato]cobalt(III) moieties are linked by the bridging ligands, viz. azide in (I) and thiocyanate in (II), giving zigzag polymeric chains with backbones of the type [-Co-N-N-N-Co]n in (I) or [-Co-N-C-S-Co]n in (II) running along the c axis.