Bis[tris(2,2′-bipyridine-κ2N,N′)ruthenium(II)] hexacyanoferrate(III) chloride octahydrate

In the title compound, [Ru-II(C10H8N2)(3)](2)[Fe-III(CN)(6)]Cl.8H(2)O, the [Ru(bpy)(3)](2+) (bpy is 2,2'-bipyridine) cations and water molecules afford intriguing microporous honeycomb layers, while the [Fe(CN)(6)](3-) anions and the remainder of the water molecules form anionic sheets based on extensive hydrogen-bonding networks. The cationic and anionic layers alternate along the c axis. The Fe atom in [Fe(CN)(6)](3-) lies on an inversion centre and the axial cyano ligands are hydrogen bonded to the water molecules encapsulated within the micropores [N...O = 2.788 (5) Angstrom], giving an unusual interpenetration between the cationic and anionic layers. On the other hand, the in-plane cyano ligands are relatively weakly hydrogen bonded to the water molecules [N...O = 2.855 (7) and 2.881 (8) Angstrom] within the anionic sheets.