Crystal structure of S - n -octyl 3-(1-phenylethylidene)dithiocarbazate and of its bis-chelated nickel(II) complex

The nitrogen–sulfur Schiff base proligand S - n -octyl 3-(1-phenylethylidene)dithiocarbazate, C 17 H 26 N 2 S 2 (H L ), was prepared by reaction of S -octyl dithiocarbamate with acetophenone. Treatment of H L with nickel acetate yielded the complex bis[ S - n -octyl 3-(1-phenylethylidene)dithiocarbazato]nickel(II), [Ni(C 17 H 25 N 2 S 2 ) 2 ] (Ni L 2 ), which was shown to adopt a tetrahedrally distorted cis -square-planar coordination geometry, with the NiSN planes of the two ligands forming a dihedral angle of 21.66 (6)°. Changes in the geometry of the L ligand upon chelation of Ni 2+ are described, involving a ca 180° rotation around the N(azomethine)—C(thiolate) bond.