Adducts of nickel(II) acetylacetonate chelating with heterocyclic bases: 3‐­cyanopyridine and 4‐cyanopyridine

In both title compounds, (acetyl­acetonato‐O,O′)­bis(3‐cyano­pyridine‐N)­nickel(II), (I), and (acetyl­acetonato‐O,O′)­bis(4‐cyanopyridine‐N)­nickel(II), (II), both Ni(C₅­H₇O₂)₂(C₆H₄N₂)₂], the Ni^II atom, which is situated on a centre of symmetry, is octahedrally coordinated. Distances and angles for (I) and (II), respectively, are: Ni—O 2.009 (2)/2.016 (2) and 2.0110 (16)/2.0238 (18) Å, Ni—N 2.116 (3) and 2.179 (2) Å, O—Ni—O 91.86 (10) and 90.19 (7)°, and O—Ni—N 91.27 (11)/90.19 (11) and 89.65 (8)/90.79 (7)°.