Diacetonitrile-1kappaN,3kappaN-bis{mu-trans-N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]-N'-(2-hydroxyethyl)oxamidato(2-)}-1:2kappa(5)N,N',O:O',N'';2:3kappa(5)O',N'':N,N',O-dithiocyanato-1kappaN,3kappaN-tricopper(II).

The title compound, [Cu(3)(C(9)H(17)N(3)O(3))(2)(NCS)(2)(CH(3)CN)(2)], contains two square-pyramidal Cu(II) units chelated by a transoid asymmetrical N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]-N'-(2-hydroxyethyl)oxamidate (dmapheoxd) dianion {H(2)dmapheoxd is N-[3-(dimethylamino)propyl]-N'-(2-hydroxyethyl)oxamide}, which coordinates to another Cu(II) ion in a square-planar environment lying on a crystallographic inversion center. Thus, the trans-oxamide ligand bridges two Cu(II) ions with different coordination numbers, and this is the first instance of such a zero-dimensional oxamide-bridged complex. The activated methyl group in the coordinated acetonitrile molecule is involved in a strong nonclassical C-H...O hydrogen bond, which contributes to a one-dimensional chain extending in the b direction. Considering the presence of weak bonding between the Cu atom and the uncoordinated hydroxyl O atoms, a two-dimensional structure is formed parallel to the ab plane.