Catena-Poly[[[1,8-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-1,3,6,8,10,13-hexaazacyclotetradecane]copper(II)]-micro-cyano-[tricyanonitrosoiron(III)]-micro-cyano].

The bimetallic title complex, [CuFe(CN)(5)(C(12)H(30)N(6)O(2))(NO)] or [Cu(L)Fe(CN)(5)(NO)] [where L is 1,8-bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-1,3,6,8,10,13-hexaazacyclotetradecane], has a one-dimensional zigzag polymeric -Cu(L)-NC-Fe(NO)(CN)(3)-CN-Cu(L)- chain, in which the Cu(II) and Fe(II) centres are linked by two CN groups. In the complex, the Cu(II) ion is coordinated by four N atoms from the L ligand [Cu-N(L) = 1.999 (2)-2.016 (2) A] and two cyanide N atoms [Cu-N = 2.383 (2) and 2.902 (3) A], and has an elongated octahedral geometry. The Fe(II) centre is in a distorted octahedral environment, with Fe-N(nitroso) = 1.656 (2) A and Fe-C(CN) = 1.938 (3)-1.948 (3) A. The one-dimensional zigzag chains are linked to form a three-dimensional network via N-H.N and O-H.N hydrogen bonds.

u-Cyano-1:2 kappa(2)C:N-tetracyano-1 kappa(4)C-(5-methyl-5-nitro-3,7-diazanonane-1,9-diamine-2 kappa(4)N(1,3,6,9))-nitrosyl-1 kappa N-copper(II)iron(II) dihydrate.

The title binuclear complex, [CuFe(CN)(5)(C(8)H(21)N(5)O(2))(NO)] x 2H(2)O or [CuFe(nelin)(CN)(5)(NO)] x 2H(2)O (nelin is 5-methyl-5-nitro-3,7-diazanonane-1,9-diamine) consists of discrete binuclear mixed-metal species, with a Cu centre linked to an Fe centre through a cyano bridge, and two water molecules of crystallization. In the complex, the Cu(II) ion is coordinated by five N atoms and has a distorted square-pyramidal geometry. The Fe(II) centre is in a distorted octahedral environment.