Crystal structure of bis(mu-4-nitrobenzoato-(KO)-O-2:O ')-bis[bis(4-methylpyridine-kappa N)(4-nitrobenzoato-kappa O-2,O ')manganese(II)]

The title compound, [Mn-2(C7H4NO4)(4)(C6H7N)(4)] or [Mn-2(mu-NBz)(2)(kappa(2)-NBz)(2)(4-Mepy)(4)], where NBz is 4-nitrobenzoate and 4-Mepy is 4-methylpyridine, is a centrosymmetric dinuclear complex in which the Mn-II atoms are bridged by two NBz ligands with Mn center dot center dot center dot Mn = 4.1324 (4) angstrom. The Mn-II atom in this dimeric species is present in a distorted octahedral environment with the four coordinating O atoms forming the equatorial plane and the two pyridyl N atoms occupying the axial sites. An important structural feature of the dimeric complex is that each of the bridging carboxylate ligands binds to the metal ions in an asymmetric fashion involving bent and linear Mn-O-C units. The crystal packing is consolidated by C-H center dot center dot center dot O and C-H center dot center dot center dot pi interactions.