Magnesium iodide-4,4′-bipyridine-water (1/3/4) and strontium iodide-4,4′-bipyridine-propan-1-ol (1/2.5/2)

Both of the title compounds, catena-poly[[[tetraaquamagnesium(I)]-mu-4,4'-bipyridine-kappa(2) N:N'] diiodide bis(4,4'-bipyridine) solvate], {[Mg(C10H8N2)(H2O)(4)]I-2.2C(10)H(8)N(2)}(n), (I), and cateruz-poly[[[mu-4,4'-bipyridine-bis[diiodobis(propan-1-ol)strontium(I)]]-di-mu-4,4'-bipyridine-kappa(4)N:N'] bis(4,4'-bipyridine) solvate], {[Sr2I4(C10H8N2)(3)(C3H8O)(4)].2C(10)H(8)N(2)}(n), (II), are one-dimensional polymers which are single- and double-stranded, respectively, the metal atoms being linked by the 4,4'-bipyridine moieties. The Mg complex, (I), is [cis{ (H2O) Mg-4(N-4,4'-bipyridine-N')((2/2))}] I-(infinity\infinity)(2).4,4'-bipyridine and Mg has a six-coordinate quasi-octahedral coordination environment. The Sr complex, (II), is isomorphous with its previously defined Ba counterpart [Kepert, Waters & White (1996). Aust. J. Chem. 49, 117-135], being [(propan-1-ol)(2)I2Sr(N-4,4'-bipyridine-N')((3/2))]((infinity\infinity))-4,4'-bipyridine, with the I atoms tracts-axial in a seven-coordinate pentagonal-bipyramidal Sr environment.