[(Nitrato-κO,O')(nitrito-κO,O')(0.25/1.75)]bis-(1,10-phenanthroline-κN,N')cadmium(II)

The reaction of cadmium nitrate and sodium nitrite in the presence of 1,10-phenanthroline yields the mixed nitrate-nitrite title complex, [Cd(NO(2))(1.75)(NO(3))(0.25)(C(12)H(8)N(2))(2)]. The metal ion is bis-chelated by two N-heterocycles as well as by the nitrate/nitrite ions in a distorted dodeca-hedral CdN(4)O(4) coordination environment. One nitrite group is ordered; the other is disordered with respect to a nitrate group (ratio 0.75:0.25) concerning the O atom that is not involved in bonding to the metal ion.