Racemic dipotassium di-μ2-hydroxido-bis-{[N,N-bis-(carboxyl-atometh-yl) leucin-ato-⁴ N,O,O′,O′′]cobaltate(III)} tetra-hydrate

The racemic title compound, K2[Co2(C10H13NO6)2(OH)2]·4H2O, exhibits a slightly distorted octa-hedral coordination of the Co atoms, possibly because of constraints imposed by the tetra-dentate ligand. The ten-coordinate potassium cation provides a link between the ligating anions of the dinuclear dianion via the carbonyl O atoms of the N,N-bis-(carboxyl-ato-meth-yl)leucinate ligands, forming a polymeric three-dimensional network. The complex crystallizes in the ortho-rombic space group, Cmca, resulting in Co dimers situated around special positions in the unit cell, which leads to a 50% disorder of the bridging hydroxido H atoms and the isopropyl substituents.