Transformations of the chameleon ligand 1,10‐phenanthroline‐5,6‐dione/diol: cis‐dichlorido(1,10‐phenanthroline‐5,6‐dione‐κ2N,N′)‐trans‐dipyridinecobalt(II) pyridine disolvate prepared from the diol

The title compound, CoCl₂(C₅H₅N)₂(C₁₂H₆N₂O₂)]·2C₅H₅N, is a neutral Co^II complex with two chloride anions coordinated in a cis fashion, two pyridine ligands in trans positions and a chelating 1,10‐phenanthroline‐5,6‐dione ligand that completes the octahedral coordination geometry. Two pyridine solvent molecules reside in channels (about 7 × 4 Å wide; the closest atom–atom distance within the channel is 10 Å). The three‐dimensional structure supporting these channels is held together by C—H...Cl 3.466 (8)–3.670 (9) Å] and C—H...O 3.014 (9)–3.285 (8) Å] hydrogen bonds, and can be viewed as a CsCl or bcu (body‐centred cubic) net.