The varied structures of cobalt(II)–pyridine (py)–sulfate: [Co(SO4)(py)4]n, [Co2(SO4)2(py)6]n, and [Co3(SO4)3(py)11]n

The solid-state structures of two cobalt–pyridine–sulfate compounds, namely catena-poly[tetra­kis­(pyridine-κN)cobalt(II)]-μ-sulfato-κ2O:O′], [Co(SO4)(C5H5N)4]n, (1), and catena-poly[tetra­kis­(pyridine-κN)cobalt(II)]-μ-sulfato-κ3O:O′,O′′-[bis­(pyridine-κN)cobalt(II)]-μ-sulfato-κ3O,O′:O′′]n, [Co2(SO4)2(C5H5N)6]n, (2), are reported. Compound (1) displays a polymeric structure, with infinite chains of CoII cations adopting octa­hedral N4O2 coordination environments that involve four pyridine ligands and two bridging sulfate ions. Compound (2) is also polymeric with infinite chains of CoII cations. The first Co center has an octa­hedral N4O2 coordination environment that involves four pyridine ligands and two bridging sulfate ligands. The second Co center has an octa­hedral N2O4 coordination environment that involves two pyridine ligands and two bridging sulfate ions that chelate the Co atom. The structure of (2) was refined as a two-component inversion twin.