Tetra­kis(μ(3)-2-{[1,1-bis­(hy­droxy­meth­yl)-2-oxidoeth­yl]imino­meth­yl}-6-nitro­pheno­lato)tetra­copper(II)

The title cluster, [Cu(4)(C(11)H(12)N(2)O(6))(4)], was obtained from the Cu(0)–FeCl(2)·4H(2)O–H(4) L–Et(3)N–DMF reaction system (in air), where H(4) L is 2-hy­droxy­methyl-2{[(2-hy­droxy-3-nitro­phen­yl)methyl­idene]amino}­propane-1,3-diol and DMF is di­methyl­formamide. The asymmetric unit consists of one Cu(2+) ion and one dianionic ligand; a -4 symmetry element generates the cluster, which contains a {Cu(4)O(4)} cubane-like core. The metal ion has an elongated square-based pyramidal CuNO(4) coordination geometry with the N atom in a basal site. An intra­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bond is observed. The solvent mol­ecules were found to be highly disordered and their contribution to the scattering was removed with the SQUEEZE procedure in PLATON [Spek (2009 ▶). Acta Cryst. D65, 148–155], which indicated a solvent cavity of volume 3131 Å(3) containing approximately 749 electrons. These solvent molecules are not considered in the given chemical formula.