Crystal structure of a dinuclear Co^II complex with bridging fluoride ligands: di-μ-fluorido-bis­{tris­[(6-methyl­pyridin-2-yl)meth­yl]amine}­dicobalt(II) bis­(tetra­fluorido­borate)

Reaction of Co(BF₄)₂·6H₂O with tris­[(6-methyl­pyridin-2-yl)meth­yl]amiine in methanol results in a fluoride abstraction from BF₄⁻, yielding the unexpected title compound, [Co₂F₂(C₂₁H₂₄N₄)₂](BF₄)₂. The complex cation consists of two inversion-related [Co(C₂₁H₂₄N₄)]²⁺ moieties bridged by a pair of fluoride ligands. The Co^II cation is six-coordinated in a distorted octa­hedral geometry and forms a +II high-spin state. In the crystal, the complex cation and the BF₄⁻ anion are connected by C—H...F hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional network. An intra­molecular C—H...F hydrogen bond is also observed.