Bis(1-benzyl-1H-benzimidazole-jN3)- dichloridozinc

R factor = 0.039; wR factor = 0.108; data-to-parameter ratio = 23.3. In the title compound, [ZnCl2(C14H12N2)2], the Zn II atom exhibits a distorted tetrahedral coordination geometry invol-ving two chloride anions and two N-atom donors from 1-benzyl-1H-benzimidazole ligands. In both ligands, the benzyl and benzimidazole rings are nearly perpendicular [dihedral angles = 81.7 (2) and 81.5 (2)]. The two benzimidazole systems are essentially planar [maximum deviations = 0.015 (3) and 0.020 (2) Å] and form a dihedral angle of 78.09 (8). In the crystal, centrosymmetrically related mol-ecules are linked by pairs of C—H Cl hydrogen bonds into chains parallel to the a axis. Related literature For background to the biochemical properties of benzimida-zole derivatives, see: Mann et al. (2001); Naithani et al. (1990); Goudgaon et al. (2004). For the structures of relate