(Croconato-κ2O,O′)bis(1,10-phenanthro line κ2 N,N′ )manganese(II)

The title complex, [Mn(C5O5)(C12H8N2)(2)], lies across a crystallographic twofold axis which passes through the Mn atom and bisects the croconate ligand. The two 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) ligands are arranged in a propeller manner and the local molecular geometry of the MnN4O2 unit is severely distorted octahedral. This may be interpreted as a structural perturbation of the MnN4 square by the croconate ligand. In the crystal structure, the dipole moments of the molecules are arranged alternately along the +b and -b directions. All the phen ligands are involved in pi stacking interactions, alternately along the [110] and [110] directions. The alternate spacings between the neighbouring phen planes in the one-dimensional pi stacks are 3.361 (2) and 3.526 (2) angstrom.