Crystal structure of di-μ-acetato-κ(4) O:O'-bis{(acetato-κ(2) O,O')tetra-aqua-[1-(pyridin-2-yl-methylidene-κN)-2-(pyridin-2-yl-κN)hydrazine-κN (1)]lanthanum(III)} dinitrate hemihydrate.

In the binuclear title complex, [La(2)(C(2)H(3)O(2))(4)(C(11)H(10)N(4))(H(2)O)(4)](NO(3))(2)·0.5H(2)O, the two lanthanum ions are nine coordinate in a distorted trigonal-prismatic geometry. Each La(III) ion is bonded to three N atoms of the Schiff base, 1-(pyridin-2-yl)-2-(pyridin-2-yl-methyl-ene)hydrazine and is coordinated by one acetate group, which acts in η (2)-bidentate mode and two acetate groups that act in μ (2)-mode between the two La(III) ions. Two η (1)-water mol-ecules complete the coordination sphere. All bond lengths in the coordination environment of the La(III) ion are slightly larger than those observed in the isostructural Nd(III) and Sm(III) complexes. The La(III)⋯La(III) distance is 4.6696†(6)†à . In the crystal, extensive O-H⋯O hydrogen-bonding inter-actions involving the coordinated water mol-ecules and the non-coordinating nitrate anions, as well as the oxygen atoms of the acetate groups, generate an overall three-dimensional supra-molecular network.