Crystal structure of poly[[mu-4-(hydroxymethyl)pyridine-kappa N-2:O][4-(hydroxy-methyl)pyridine-kappa N](mu-thiocyanato-kappa N-2:S)(thiocyanato-kappa N)cadmium]

The crystal structure of the title compound, [Cd(NCS)(2)(C6H7NO)(2)](n) is made up of Cd2+ cations that are coordinated by three thiocyanate ligands and three 4(hydroxymethyl)pyridine ligands within distorted N4OS octahedra. The asymmetric unit consists of one Cd2+ cation, two thiocyanate anions and two 4-(hydroxymethyl)pyridine ligands in general positions. Two Cd2+ cations are linked by two mu-1,3 N- and S-bonding thioycanate anions into dimers which are further linked into branched chains along [100] by two mu-1,6 N- and O-bonding 4-(hydroxymethyl)pyridine ligands. One additional N-bonded 4-(hydroxymethyl)pyridine ligand and one additional N-bonded thiocyanate anion are only terminally bonded to the metal cation. Interchain OH center dot center dot center dot S hydrogen bonds between the hydroxy H atoms and one of the thiocyanate S atoms connect the chains into a three-dimensional network.