3-Methyl-1-(1-phenylethyl)pyridinium bis(1,2-dicyanoethene-1,2-dithiolato)-nickelate(III)

A new ion-pair complex, (C14H16N)[Ni(C4N2S2)(2)] or (PhEtPyMe)(+)[Ni(mnt)(2)](-) [(PhEtPyMe)(+) is 1-(1-phenylethyl)-3- methylpyridinium and mnt(2-) is maleonitriledithiolate], crystallizing with two anions and two cations in the asymmetric unit, has been synthesized. The Ni-III atoms exhibit square-planar coordination geometry with four S atoms from two mnt(2-) ligands. The cations and anions form well segregated columnar stacks along the a axis. Weak Ni center dot center dot center dot S, S center dot center dot S and pi-pi interactions between anions mediate the formation of one-dimensional zigzag chains of Ni-III ions.