Bis(4,7-dichloro-1,10-phenanthroline-κ2N,N′)bis(dicyanamido-κN)copper(II)

In the title compound, [Cu(C2N3)(2)(C12H6Cl2N2)(2)], the Cu-II atom is coordinated by two chelating 4,7-dichloro-1,10-phenanthroline (4,7-Cl-phen) ligands and two dicyanamide (dca) ligands in a cis arrangement, forming a distorted octahedral geometry. The equatorial plane is occupied by three N atoms from two 4,7-Cl-phen ligands and one N atom from a dca ligand at shorter Cu-N distances. Due to the Jahn-Teller effect, the axial positions are occupied by a 4,7-Cl-phen N atom and a dca N atom at longer Cu-N distances. The dca ligands are nearly planar, with a maximum deviations of 0.006 (1) angstrom. The crystal structure is stabilized by weak C-H center dot center dot center dot N hydrogen bonds, with cyanide N atoms as acceptors, and pi-pi interactions between adjacent phenyl rings [centroid-centroid distance = 3.725 (3) angstrom].