A one-dimensional Hg(II) coordination polymer based on bis­(pyridin-3-ylmeth­yl)sulfane

The reaction of mercury(II) chloride with bis­(pyridin-3-ylmeth­yl)sulfane (L, C(12)H(12)N(2)S) in methanol afforded the title crystalline coordination polymer catena-poly[[di­chlorido­mercury(II)]-μ-bis­(pyridin-3-ylmeth­yl)sulfane-κ(2) N:N′], [HgCl(2) L](n). The asymmetric unit consists of one Hg(II) cation, one L ligand and two chloride anions. Each Hg(II) ion is coordinated by two pyridine N atoms from separate L ligands and two chloride anions. The metal adopts a highly distorted tetra­hedral geometry, with bond angles about the central atom in the range 97.69 (12)–153.86 (7)°. Each L ligand bridges two Hg(II) ions, forming an infinite –(Hg–L)(n)– zigzag chain along the b axis, with an Hg⋯Hg separation of 10.3997 (8) Å. In the crystal, adjacent chains are connected by inter­molecular C—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds, together with Hg—Cl⋯π inter­actions [chloride-to-centroid distance = 3.902 (3) Å], that form between a chloride anion and the one of the pyridine rings of L, generating a two-dimensional layer extending parallel to (101). These layers are further linked by inter­molecular C—H⋯π hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional supra­molecular network.