Crystal structure of [2-({2-[(2-azanidyl-benzyl-idene)amino]-benzyl-idene}amino)-4-chloro-phenol-ato]nickel(II).

The title complex, [Ni(C20H14ClN3O)], with an asymmetrically chloride-appended Schiff base ligand has been synthesized and structurally characterized at 100 K. In the compound, the central nickel(II) ion has a square-planar coordination geometry with N3O donors of the π-conjugated tetra-dentate Schiff base ligand. In the crystal, the complexes are connected into an inversion dimer via an Ni⋯Ni inter-action [3.1753 (5) Å] and a pair of π-π inter-actions [centroid-centroid distance = 3.8416 (16) Å]. The dimers are linked via a C-H⋯Cl hydrogen bond, forming a chain along the c-axis direction. The dimer chains inter-act with each other through π-π inter-actions [centroid-centroid distance = 3.8736 (16) Å], forming a layer expanding parallel to the ac plane.