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

The Ni^II atom in the title compound shows a square-planar NiN₂O₂ coordination with the imine N and phenolate O atoms of the two Schiff base ligands. C—H⋯O and C—H⋯π interactions result in the formation of sheets of molecules parallel to the ac plane.

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 meth­oxy­benzene ring makes a dihedral angle of 84.92 (6)° with that of the phenolate ring. In the crystal, mol­ecules 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 mol­ecules into sheets parallel to the ac plane.