catena-Poly[bis­(μ(3)-2-phenyl­acetato-κ(3) O,O′:O)bis­(μ(2)-2-phenyl­acetato-κ(2) O:O′)dicopper(II)(Cu—Cu)]

The title polymeric compound, [Cu(2)(C(8)H(7)O(2))(4)](n), was synthesized by the reaction of copper acetate with aqueous phenyl­acetic acid. The unique Cu(II) atom is coordinated by five O atoms from the carboxyl­ate groups of phenyl­acetate ligands, and the strongly distorted octa­hedral coordination environment is completed by a Cu—Cu bond of 2.581 (2) Å, at whose mid-point is located an inversion centre. The crystal structure consists of infinite polymeric linear chains of Cu(2+) ions, running along [100], linked by bridging phenyl­acetate groups.