Tetrakis(mu-4-methylbenzoato-kappa O-2:O ')bis[(N,N-diethylnicotinamide-kappa N-1)zinc(II)\]

In the centrosymmetric binuclear title complex, [Zn-2(C8H7O2)(4)(C10H14N2O)(2)], the Zn atoms [Zn center dot center dot center dot Zn' = 2.9494 (3) angstrom] are bridged by four 4-methylbenzoate (PMB) anions. The four nearest O atoms around each Zn-II ion form a distorted square-planar arrangement, the octahedral coordination being completed by the pyridine N atom of the N, N-diethylnicotinamide (DENA) ligand. Each Zn-II ion is displaced by 0.3530 (1) angstrom from the plane of the four O atoms. The dihedral angles between carboxylate groups and their adjacent benzene rings are 5.88 (10) and 11.89 (9)degrees, while the benzene rings are oriented at a dihedral angle of 75.19 (4)degrees. The pyridine ring is oriented at dihedral angles of 38.28 (4) and 49.17 (4)degrees with respect to the benzene rings. In the crystal structure, weak intermolecular C-H center dot center dot center dot O hydrogen bonds link the molecules into a three-dimensional network. pi-pi contacts between parallel benzene rings [centroid-centroid distance = 3.8388 (8) angstrom] and between parallel pyridine rings [centroid-centroid distance = 3.4855 (7) angstrom] may further stabilize the crystal structure.