Crystal structure of bis(4-benzoylpyridine-κN)bis-(methanol-κO)bis(thiocyanato-κN)nickel(II) methanol monosolvate

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, [Ni(NCS)(2)(C12H9NO)(2)(CH3OH)(2)]center dot-CH3OH, comprises one Ni-II cation, two thiocyanate anions, two 4-benzoylpyridine coligands, two coordinating, as well as one non-coordinating methanol molecule. The Ni-II cation is coordinated by two terminally N-bonded thiocyanate anions, the N atoms of two 4-benzoylpyridine coligands and the O atoms of two methanol ligands within a slightly distorted octahedron. Individual complexes are linked by intermolecular O-H center dot center dot center dot S hydrogen bonding into chains parallel to [010] that are further connected into layers parallel to (10 (1) over bar) by C-H center dot center dot center dot S hydrogen bonds. Additional C-H center dot center dot center dot O hydrogen-bonding interactions lead to the formation of a three-dimensional network that limits channels extending parallel to [010] in which the non-coordinating methanol molecules are located. They are hydrogen-bonded to the coordinating methanol molecules. X-ray powder diffraction revealed that the compound could not be prepared as a pure phase.