catena-Poly[copper(I)-bis-[μ-3-(1H-imidazol-2-yl)pyridine]-copper(I)-di-μ-iodido].

The title polymeric compound, [Cu(2)I(2)(C(8)H(7)N(3))(2)](n) [C(8)H(7)N(3) = 3-(1H-imidazol-2-yl)pyridine (HIPy), where HIPy comes from the in situ deca-rboxylation of 2-(pyridin-3-yl)-1H-imidazole-4,5-dicarb-oxy-lic acid (H(3)PyIDC)], was obtained under solvo-thermal conditions. Each Cu(I) cation is in a distorted tetra-hedral coordination environment defined by two iodide anions and two nitro-gen atoms from two individual HIPy ligands. Two Cu(I) atoms are connected by two HIPy ligands to form a dimer and these dimers are further bridged through the iodide atoms, leading to a chain structure extending parallel to [100]. Moreover, inter-molecular N-H⋯I hydrogen bonds and weak π-π stacking inter-actions [centroid⋯centroid distances of 3.809 (4) Å, an inter-planar separation of 3.345 (3) Å and a ring slippage of 1.822 Å] between pyridyl rings link the chains into a two-dimensional supra-molecular network in the ac plane.