Three-layered close packing in the crystal structure of tris(ethylenediamine)cobalt(III) hexanitrorhodate(III) hydrate, [Co(en)3][Rh(NO2)6]·3H2O,en=C2H8N2

In the structure of cubic tris(ethylenediamine)cobalt(III) hexanitrorhodate(III) hydrate, [Co(en)₃][Rh(NO₂)₆]·3H₂O, en=C₂H₈N₂, with a=16.540(5) Å, space group Pa3 (nonstandard, reduced to orthorhombic Pcab), the complex cations, anions, and water molecules are arranged by the law of three-layered (fcc) close packing of “quasispherical” species according to two structural types, NaCl and CaF₂. The packing is formed of [Rh(NO₂)₆]^3? anions, which also fill the octahedral voids. The tetrahedral voids are occupied by the central atoms of the [Co(en)₃]³⁺ cations, and the H₂O molecules lie between the cations, performing the packing function: the Ow...N_en contacts of 3.04 Å and the Ow..O_{NO 2} contacts of 3.01 Å characterize weak van der Waals interactions. The values of the interatomic distances Co?N, Rh?N, N?O, N?C, and C?C are in good agreement with the known data.