Catena-Poly[[aqua(2-iodobenzoato-κO)-cobalt(II)] -μ- aqua -μ- 2-iodobenzoato-κ² O:O′]

The asymmetric unit of the polymeric title compound, [Co(C ₇H₄IO₂)₂(H₂O) ₂] n , contains one Co^II cation, two iodo-benzoate anions and two water molecules. One iodo-benzoate anion and one water molecule bridge adjacent Co cations, forming a polymeric chain running along the a axis, while the other iodo-benzoate anion and water molecule coordinate in a monodentate manner to the Co^II cation, completing the slightly distorted octa-hedral geometry. In the two independent anionic ligands, the carboxyl-ate groups are twisted away from the attached benzene rings by 51.38 (18) and 39.89 (11)°, and the two benzene rings are nearly perpendicular to each other with a dihedral angle of 86.09 (10)°. Intra-molecular O - H⋯O hydrogen bonds between coordinating water molecules and adjacent carboxyl-ate O atoms help to stabilize the molecular structure. In the crystal, weak C - H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the polymeric chains into a three-dimentional supra-molecular network.