An unprecedented binuclear cadmium dithiocarbamate adduct: bis[mu(2)-N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-isopropylcarbamodithioato- kappa S-3:S,S ']bis{[N-(2-hydroxyethyl)-N-isopropylcarbamodithioato-kappa S-2,S '](3-{(1E)-[(E)-2-(pyridin-3-ylmethylidene)-hydrazin-1-ylidene]methyl}pyridine-kappa N)cadmium]} dihydrate

The asymmetric unit in the title binuclear compound, [Cd(C6H12NOS2)(2)(C12H10N4)](2)center dot 2H(2)O, comprises a Cd-II atom, two dithiocarbamate (dtc) anions, a monodentate 3-pyridinealdazine ligand and a lattice water molecule. The binuclear molecule is constructed by the application of inversion symmetry. One dtc ligand simultaneously chelates one cadmium atom and bridges the centrosymmetric mate, while the other dtc ligand is chelating only. This leads to a centrosymmetric [Cd(dtc)(2)](2) core to which are appended two 3-pyridinealdazine ligands. The resulting NS5 donor set is based on an octahedron. The three-dimensional molecular packing is sustained by hydroxyl-O-H(hydroxyl) and water-O-H center dot center dot center dot O(hydroxyl) hydrogen bonding, leading to supramolecular layers parallel to (101) which are connected by water-OH center dot center dot center dot N(pyridyl) hydrogen bonding; additional C-H center dot center dot center dot O, S pi (chelate ring) interactions are also evident. The retention of the central [Cd(dtc)(2)](2) core upon adduct formation is unprecedented in the structural chemistry of the zinc-triad dithiocarbamates.