trans‐Bis(benzoato‐O)tetrakis(methanol‐O)iron(II): ligand bulk is not structure‐determining

The title compound, Fe(C₇H₅O₂)₂(CH₄O)₄], is a centrosymmetric six‐coordinate Fe^II complex coordinated by two axial monodentate benzoate ligands and four methanol ligands in the equatorial plane Fe—O_benzoate 2.0935 (7) Å, and Fe—O_methanol 2.1310 (7) and 2.1290 (7) Å]. The benzoate ligands adopt monodentate ligation, rather than a bridged polymeric structure, because of strong intra‐ and intermolecular hydrogen bonds to the methanol ligands. This structure is nearly identical to that obtained with a much bulkier carboxyl­ate ligand Chavez, Que & Tolman (2001). Chem. Commun. pp. 111–112].