Crystal structure of bis-{2-[(E)-(4-meth-oxy-lbenz-yl)imino-meth-yl]phenolato-κ(2) N,O (1)}nickel(II)

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, [Ni(C15H14NO2)2], comprises an Ni(II) cation, lying on an inversion centre, and a Schiff base anion that acts as a bidentate ligand. The Ni(II) cation is in a square-planar coordination environment binding to the imine N and phenolate O atoms of the two Schiff base ligands. The N- and O-donor atoms of the two ligands are mutually trans, with Ni-N and Ni-O bond lengths of 1.9191 (11) and 1.8407 (9) Å, respectively. The plane of the meth-oxy-benzene ring makes a dihedral angle of 84.92 (6)° with that of the phenolate ring. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked into screw chains by weak C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds. Additional C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, together with C-H⋯π contacts, arrange the mol-ecules into sheets parallel to the ac plane.