Poly[diaqua­bis­(μ-4,4′-bipyridine-κ(2) N:N′)bis­(ethane-1,2-diol-κO)bis(μ-sulfato-κ(2) O:O′)dicobalt(II)]

In the title compound, [Co(2)(SO(4))(2)(C(10)H(8)N(2))(2)(C(2)H(6)O(2))(2)(H(2)O)(2)](n), there are two crystallographically independent Co(II) ions, each of which lies on a twofold rotation axis and has a slightly distorted octa­hedral environment. One Co(II) ion is coordinated by two N atoms from two bridging 4,4′-bipyridine (4,4′-bipy) ligands, two O atoms from two sulfate ions and two O atoms from aqua ligands. The second Co(II) ion is similar but with ethane-1,2-diol ligands in place of water mol­ecules. The sulfate anions act as bridging ligands to link two adjacent Co(II) ions together, leading to the formation of linear ⋯Co1Co2Co1Co2⋯chains along the a axis. Adjacent chains are further bridged by 4,4′-bipy ligands, which are also located on the twofold rotation axis, resulting in a two-dimensional layered polymer extending parallel to (001). In the crystal, the layers are linked by extensive O—H⋯O hydrogen-bonding inter­actions involving the O atoms of the water mol­ecules and ethane-1,2-diol mol­ecules, resulting in a three-dimensional supra­molecular network.