Hydrogen-bonding and pi-pi stacking interactions in aquachloridobis(1,10-phenanthroline)cobalt(II) chloride dichloridobis(1,10-phenanthroline)cobalt(II) hexahydrate.

The title compound, [CoCl(C(12)H(8)N(2))(2)(H(2)O)]Cl.[CoCl(2)(C(12)H(8)N(2))(2)].6H(2)O, is the first example of a new 1:1 cocrystal of the octahedral [CoCl(2)(phen)(2)] and [CoCl(phen)(2)(H(2)O)](+).Cl(-) complexes (phen is 1,10-phenanthroline). The latter form heterochiral dimers held by strong pi-pi stacking interactions via their phenathroline ligands, which confirms that pi stacking is an important and reliable synthon in supramolecular design. In addition, the crystal structure is networked by H(2)O...H(2)O, H(2)O...Cl(-) and H(2)O...Cl hydrogen bonds, which interconnect the different units of the cobalt complexes.