Studies on the metal-amide bond. XVII. The crystal and molecular structure of the α-form of aqua[N,N′-bis(2′-pyridinecarboxamido)-1,3-propane] copper(II) dihydrate

α-Aqua[N,N′-bis(2′-pyridinecarboxamido)-1,3-propane]copper(II) dihydrate, C₁₅H₂₀N₄O₅Cu, is monoclinic, space group P2₁/c, with a = 11.719(2), b = 13.092(2), c = 12.663(2) Å, β = 119.56(1)°, Z = 4. The structure was refined to R = 0.026 for 2398 diffractometer data using full-matrix least-squares methods. The copper atom is five-coordinate with the N₄-tetradentate ligand encompassing the base of a distorted square-based pyramid which is appreciably distorted towards a trigonal bipyramid [average Cu-N(amide) 1.950(2), Cu-N(pyridine) 2.043(2) Å, N(amide)-Cu-N(amide) 94.5(1), N(pyridine)-Cu-N(pyridine) 100.2(1)°] and with the copper atom lying 0.27 Å above the N₄ plane towards the apical water molecule [Cu-O 2.236(2) Å]. The central six-membered chelate ring adopts a skewed boat conformation and the enforced strain in the molecule results in non-planar distortions in the pyridine rings with only small distortions in the amide groups. The molecules pack in sheets parallel to (101) and the hydrogen-bonding network involves the water molecules and the amide oxygen atoms of the ligand.