catena-Poly[hemi[bis­(4′-phenyl-2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine-κ(3) N)copper(II)] [cuprate(I)-di-μ(2)-thio­cyanato-κ(2) N:S;κ(2) S:N]]

Reaction of 4′-phenyl-2,2′:6′,2′′-terpyridine (phtpy), copper acetate hydrate and ammonium thio­cyanate under solvothermal conditions led to the formation of the title compound, {[Cu(C(21)H(15)N(3))(2)][Cu(2)(NCS)(4)]}(n). The structure is composed of discrete [Cu(phtpy)(2)](2+) cations and polymeric anionic {[Cu(SCN)(2)](−)} chains propagating along [010]. The central Cu(2+) ion in the cation is coordinated by two tridentate chelating phtpy ligands in a distorted octa­hedral geometry. In each of the two crystallographically independent centrosymmetric anions, the Cu(I) atoms are bridged in a 1,3-μ(2)-bridging mode by two S and two N atoms, resulting in a distorted tetrahedral CuN(2)S(2) coordination. The [Cu(phtpy)(2)](2+) cations are fixed between these polymers by inter­molecular C—H⋯S hydrogen bonds.