catena-Poly[[[diaquabis(selenocyanato-kappa N) iron(II)]-mu-1,2-bis(pyridin-4-yl)ethane-kappa N-2:N']1,2-bis(pyridin-4-yl)ethane disolvate dihydrate]

The title compound, {[Fe(NCSe)(2)(C12H12N2)(H2O)(2)] . 2C(12)H(12)N(2).2H(2)O}(n), was obtained by the reaction of iron(II) sulfate heptahydrate and potassium selenocyanate with 1,2bis( pyridin-4-yl) ethane (bpa) in water. The FeII cation is coordinated by two N-bonded selenocyanate anions, two water molecules and two 1,2-bis(pyridin-4-yl) ethane (bpa) ligands in a slightly distorted octahedral geometry. In addition, two non-coordinating bpa molecules and two water molecules are present. The Fe-II cation is located on a center of inversion while the coordinating bpa ligand is located on a twofold rotation axis. The Fe-II cations are linked by the bpa ligands into chains along the b-axis direction, which are further connected into layers perpedicular to the c axis by O-H ... N and O-H ... O hydrogen bonds to the non-coordinating bpa and the water molecules. The crystal studied was twinned by pseudo-merohedry (180 degrees rotation along c*; contribution of the minor twin component 3.7%).