Poly[bis[μ2-4,4′-bis(imidazol-1-ylmethyl)biphenyl-κ2N:N′]dichloridonickel(II)]

In the title compound, [NiCl2(C20H18N4)2]n, the Ni2+ cation is situated on an inversion center and is coordinated by two chloride ions and four imidazole N atoms of four different 4,4′-bis[(1H-imidazol-1-yl)methyl]-1,1′-biphenyl (BIMB), forming a slightly distorted octahedral geometry. Each BIMB ligand adopts a linear linker to connect Ni2+ ions, forming a two-dimensional layer with an sql network. In the crystal, neighboring layers repeat in an ABAB stacking mode, and weak intermolecular C—H...Cl hydrogen bonds between alternate layers lead to a three-dimensional, twofold interpenetrated, supramolecular framework with a pcu topology net.