Crystal structure of a tetranuclear Cu(II) complex with an O,N,N′-donor Schiff base ligand: hexa-μ(2)-acetato-bis­(2-{[(2,2,6,6-tetra­methyl­piperidin-4-yl)imino]­meth­yl}phenolato-κ(3) O,N,N′)tetra­copper(II)

The title compound, [Cu(4)(CH(3)COO)(6)(C(16)H(23)N(2)O)(2)], lies across a twofold rotation axis. The asymmetric unit contains two independent Cu(II) ions. The symmetry-unique terminal Cu(II) ion is O,N,N′-coordinated by a 2-{[(2,2,6,6-tetra­methyl­piperidin-4-yl)imino]­meth­yl}phenolate ligand and an O atom from an acetate group in a slightly distorted square-planar coordination environment. The symmetry-unique central Cu(II) ion is coordinated by a different O atom from the same acetate group and by four bridging acetate ligands, which connect the asymmetric unit into a dimeric complex and form a distorted square-pyramidal coordination environment. Within the complex there are two symmetry-equivalent intra­molecular N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds. In the crystal, weak C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the complex mol­ecules, forming a three-dimensional network.