Catena-Poly[[(1,10-phenanthroline-κ² N,N′)lead(II)]- μ-azido-κ² N ¹:N ³-μ-nitrito- κ³ O,O′:O′-[(1,10-phenanthroline- κ² N,N′)lead(II)]-di-μ-azido-κ⁴ N ¹:N ¹]

The title coordination polymer, [Pb₂(N₃) ₃(NO₂)(C₁₂H₈N₂) ₂]_n , has as the repeat unit a centrosymmetric dinuclear molecule having azide and nitrite groups that bridge adjacent heterocycle-coordinated metal centers. One of the azide group uses its terminal ends to bridge whereas the nitrite group chelates to one metal atom and uses one of its O atoms to bridge. The azide and nitrite groups are disordered with respect to each other in a 1:1 ratio. Adjacent dinuclear molecules are further bridged by the other two azide groups, generating a linear chain motif parallel to [010]. Half of the Pb atoms show a ψ-dodeca-hedral coordination and the other half show a ψpenta-gonal-bipyramidal coordination.