catena-Poly[[aqua­(3-methyl­benzoato-κ(2) O,O′)lead(II)]-μ-3-methyl­benzoato-κ(4) O:O,O′:O′]

The reaction of lead(II) acetate and 3-methyl­benzoic acid (MBA) in aqueous solution yielded the title polymer, [Pb(C(8)H(7)O(2))(2)(H(2)O)](n). The asymmetric unit contains two Pb(II) atoms, four MBA ligands and two water mol­ecules. Each Pb(II) cation is hepta­coordinated and chelated by four carboxyl­ate O atoms from two MBA ligands. The Pb atoms are bridged through the carboxyl­ate O atoms from another two MBA ligands, leading to a central Pb(2)O(2) core. The Pb—O bond lengths are in the range 2.325 (3)–2.757 (4) Å. The intra- and inter­dimer Pb⋯Pb distances are 4.2942 (3) and 4.2283 (3) Å, respectively, indicating little direct metal–metal inter­action. The coordinating water mol­ecules and carboxyl­ate O atoms are involved in extensive O—H⋯O hydrogen-bonding inter­actions. The complex has an extended ladder-like chain structure and the chains are assembled by hydrogen bonds and π–π inter­actions [centroid–centroid distance = 3.6246 (3) Å] into a three-dimensional supra­molecular structure.