Synthesis and crystal structure of poly[ethanol(μ-4-methyl-pyridine -oxide)di-μ-thio-cyanato-cobalt(II)].

Reaction of 4-methyl-pyridine -oxide and Co(NCS) in ethanol as solvent accidentally leads to the formation of single crystals of Co(NCS)(4-methyl-pyridine -oxide)(ethanol) or [Co(NCS)(CHNO)(CHO)] . The asymmetric unit of the title compound consists of one Co cation, two crystallographically independent thio-cyanate anions, one 4-methyl-pyridine -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 -oxide coligands and one ethanol mol-ecule, with a slightly distorted octa-hedral geometry. The cobalt cations are linked by single μ-1,3(,)-bridging thio-cyanate anions into corrugated chains, that are further connected into layers by pairs of μ-1,1(,)-bridging 4-methyl-pyridine -oxide coligands. The layers are parallel to the plane and are separated by the methyl groups of the 4-methyl-pyridine -oxide coligands. Within the layers, intra-layer hydrogen bonding is observed.