A three-dimensional net of Δ-tris(1,10-phenanthroline)ruthenium(II) in the dual-metal self-assembly of bis[tris(1,10-phenanthroline) ruthenium(II)] tetraisothiocyanatoiron (bis(perchlorate)

The title compound, [Ru(C12H8N2)(3)](2)[Fe(NCS)(4)](ClO4)(2), crystallizes in a tetragonal chiral space group ( P4(1)2(1)2) and the assigned absolute configuration of the optically active molecules was unequivocally confirmed. The Delta-[Ru-II-(phen)(3)](2+) complex cations (phen is 1,10-phenanthroline) interact along the 41 screw axis parallel to the c axis, with an Ru center dot center dot center dot Ru distance of 10.4170 (6) angstrom, and in the ab plane, with Ru center dot center dot center dot Ru distances of 10.0920 (6) and 10.0938 (6) angstrom, defining a primitive cubic lattice. The Fe atom is situated on the twofold axis diagonal in the ab plane. The supramolecular architecture is supported by C-H center dot center dot center dot O interactions between the [Ru-II-(phen)(3)](2+) cation and the disordered perchlorate anion. This study adds to the relatively scarce knowledge about intermolecular interactions between [Ru(phen)(3)](2+) ions in the solid state, knowledge that eventually may also lead to a better understanding of the solution state interactions of this species; these are of immense interest because of the photochemical properties of these ions and their interactions with DNA.