Crystal structure of catena-poly[[di­iodidomer­cury(II)]-μ-2,2′-di­thio­bis­(pyridine N-oxide)-κ2O:O′].

The title compound, [HgI₂(C₁₀H₈N₂O₂S₂)]_n, a one-dimensional coordination polymer with HgI₂ units and 2,2′-di­thio­bis­(pyridine N-oxide) spacer ligands in an alternating fashion, forms helical chains running along the b axis in the crystal. Within a single coordination polymer strand, the axially chiral 2,2′-di­thio­bis­(pyridine N-oxide) ligands are homochiral, but the enanti­omeric conformation is present in adjacent strands. Within a coordination polymer strand, the iodido ligands point towards the centroids of the aromatic rings of the pyridine N-oxide moieties in the coordination sphere of Hg^II. Moreover, intra-strand C—HO and C—HI inter­actions, and inter-strand short SI and SO contacts are observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]