[μ-2,8-Dimethyl-1,4,5,6,7,10,11,12-octa­hydro­diimidazo[4,5-h;4′,5′-c][1,6]diaze­cine-5,11-diacetato]bis­[diaqua­nitrato­copper(II)] trihydrate

The title compound, [Cu(2)(C(16)H(20)N(6)O(4))(NO(3))(2)(H(2)O)(4)]·3H(2)O, crystallizes with two dinuclear Cu(II) complex mol­ecules, each lying on an inversion center, and six solvent water mol­ecules per unit cell. The central 1,6-diazecine ring adopts the common chair conformation invariably found in the family of complexes bearing such ligands. The Cu(II) atoms have an octa­hedral geometry, with a very strong tetra­gonal distortion due to the Jahn–Teller effect. Axial sites are occupied by a nitrate ion and a water mol­ecule. The Cu⋯Cu separations [7.3580 (9) and 7.3341 (9) Å] are compatible with a potential catecholase activity. Neighboring mol­ecules in the crystal structure are connected via O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds formed by water mol­ecules and carboxyl­ate O atoms. N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds are also present.