{μ-6,6′-Diethoxy-2,2′-[ethane-1,2-diylbis(nitrilomethylidyne)]diphenolato}trinitratosamarium(III)nickel(II)

In the title heteronuclear Ni-II-Sm-III complex (systematic name: {6,6'-diethoxy-2,2'-[ethane-1,2-diylbis(nitrilomethylidyne)] diphenolato-1 kappa(4) O-1,O-1',O-6,O-6':2 kappa O-4(1),N,N'O-'(1)}trinitrato-1 kappa O-6,O'-samarium(III)nickel(II)), [NiSm(C20H22N2O4)( NO3)(3)], with the hexadentate Schiff base compartmental ligand N,N'-bis(3-ethoxysalicylidene)ethylenediamine (H2L) the Ni and Sm atoms are doubly bridged by two phenolate O atoms provided by the Schiff base ligand. The coordination of Ni is square planar with the donor centres of two imine N atoms and two phenolate O atoms. The samarium(III) centre has a decacoordination environment of O atoms, involving the phenolate O atoms, two ethoxy O atoms and two O atoms each from the three nitrates. Some weak C-H center dot center dot center dot O and O center dot center dot center dot Ni [3.381 (4) angstrom] interactions generate a two-dimensional zigzag sheet.