1,2-DIYLBIS(AMINOMETHYLENE)-BIS(PENTANE-2,4-DIONE) AND THE NICKEL(II)COMPLEX OF A CONDENSATION PRODUCT

l,2-diylbis(aminomethylene)]bis(pentane-2,4-dione) [C14H20N2O4, (1)] d isplays crystallographic twofold symmetry. The N-H function forms the donor part of a three-centre hydrogen bond, with two oxygen accepters. [6,13-Diacetyl-5, 12-dimethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradeca-4,6, 11 , 13-tetraenato(2-)-kappa(4)N]nickel(II) bis(deuterochloroform) solvat e {[Ni(C16H22N4O2)]. 2CDCl(3), (2)} is a nickel complex of a condensat ion product of (1). It displays non-crystallographic inversion symmetr y, with square-planar geometry at nickel and Ni-N bond lengths of 1.88 1(3) and 1.882(3)Angstrom to N1 and N8 (with a neighbouring alpha-meth yl group), respectively, and bond lengths of 1.835(3) and 1.839(3)Angs trom to N4 and N11. Hydrogen bonds are formed from the carbonyl O atom s to the solvent D atoms.