A three-dimensional net of Delta-tris(1,10-phenanthroline)ruthenium(II) in the dual-metal self-assembly of bis[tris(1,10-phenanthroline)ruthenium(II)] tetraisothiocyanatoiron(II) bis(perchlorate).

The title compound, [Ru(C(12)H(8)N(2))(3)](2)[Fe(NCS)(4)](ClO(4))(2), crystallizes in a tetragonal chiral space group (P4(1)2(1)2) and the assigned absolute configuration of the optically active molecules was unequivocally confirmed. The Delta-[Ru(II)(phen)(3)](2+) complex cations (phen is 1,10-phenanthroline) interact along the 4(1) screw axis parallel to the c axis, with an Ru...Ru distance of 10.4170 (6) A, and in the ab plane, with Ru...Ru distances of 10.0920 (6) and 10.0938 (6) A, defining a primitive cubic lattice. The Fe atom is situated on the twofold axis diagonal in the ab plane. The supramolecular architecture is supported by C-H...O interactions between the [Ru(II)(phen)(3)](2+) cation and the disordered perchlorate anion. This study adds to the relatively scarce knowledge about intermolecular interactions between [Ru(phen)(3)](2+) ions in the solid state, knowledge that eventually may also lead to a better understanding of the solution state interactions of this species; these are of immense interest because of the photochemical properties of these ions and their interactions with DNA.