A polymeric ladder complex: catena-poly[[[micro-4,4'-bipyridyl-bis[aqua(p-aminobenzoato)copper(II)]]-di-mu-4,4'-bipyridyl] dinitrate tetrahydrate].

The title polymeric ladder complex, [[Cu(2)(C(7)H(6)NO(2))(2)(C(10)H(8)N(2))(3)(H(2)O)(2)](NO(3))(2).4H(2)O](n), has been synthesized and spectroscopically characterized. The polymeric nature of the compound involves two non-equivalent 4,4'-bipyridyl ligands acting as almost orthogonal bridges joining the metal coordination Jahn-Teller-distorted octahedra, and forming ladders packed under the influence of hydrogen bonds involving the uncoordinated amino group of the p-aminobenzoate ligand, the NO(3)(-) anion and the water molecules.