Bis[1,2-bis-(4-chloro-phen-yl)-ethyl-ene-1,2-dithiol-ato(1-)]nickel(II).

The title compound, [Ni(S(2)C(2)(C(6)H(4)-p-Cl)(2))(2)] or [Ni(C(14)H(8)Cl(2)S(2))(2)], crystallizes in the triclinic space group P as pairs of mol-ecules disposed about an inversion center at the bc face of the cell. Close inter-molecular C-H⋯S (2.884†à ) and C-H⋯Ni (3.032†à ) contacts that are less than the sum of the van der Waals radii appear to induce slight bowing of the mol-ecular planes toward one another. The angles at which the four p-ClC(6)H(4)- rings join the NiS(2)C(2) chelate rings [39.37†(9)- 53.41†(6)°] are similarly influenced by these inter-molecular contacts. In the larger packing arrangement, sheets of mol-ecules extend in the direction of the ac face diagonal.