Bis{(mu-acetato)[mu-bis(salicylidene)-1,3-propanediaminato]zinc(II)}zinc(II)

In the title linear trinuclear compound, [Zn{Zn(CH3COO)(C17H16N2O2)}(2)], t he central Zn2+ ion, which is located on an inversion centre, has a distort ed octahedral coordination involving four bridging O atoms from two N,N'-bi s(salicylidene)-1,3-propanediaminate ligands in the equatorial plane and on e O atom from each bridging acetate group in the axial positions. The coord ination around the terminal Zn2+ ion is irregular square pyramidal, with tw o O and two N atoms of the ligand in the basal plane and one O atom from an acetate group in the apical position. The acetate bridges linking the cent ral and terminal Zn2+ ions are mutually trans. The Zn . . . Zn distance is 3.0520 (8) Angstrom. The relationship of this structure to that of [Zn{Cu(C H3COO)(C-17 H16N2O2)}(2)] is discussed.