Second crystal form of dinitrito(1,10-phenanthroline)-copper(II)

The crystal structure of a second form of green [Cu(NO2)(2)(phen)],where ph en is 1,10-phenanthroline (C12H8N2), containing six-coordinate copper(II) w ith a distorted tetragonal [(CuN2O4)-N-II] core is reported. The first form had a crystal symmetry of C2/c [Breneman et al. (1999). Acta Cryst. C55, I UC9900158], while the form reported here is Pbcn. The nitrito ligands are b onded to the central copper through both O atoms, with short Cu-O bond dist ances of 1.987 (3) Angstrom and longer Cu-O bond distances of 2.410 (4) Ang strom. Both nitrito groups are significantly displaced from the plane defin ed by the 1,10-phenanthroline and the square-planar arrangement of the liga nds around the Cu-II atom.