catena-Poly[[aqua(3-methylbenzoato-κ2O,O′)lead(II)]-μ-3-methylbenzoato-κ4O:O,O′:O′]

The reaction of lead(II) acetate and 3-methylbenzoic acid (MBA) in aqueous solution yielded the title polymer, [Pb(C8H7O2)2(H2O)]n. The asymmetric unit contains two PbII atoms, four MBA ligands and two water molecules. Each PbII cation is heptacoordinated and chelated by four carboxylate O atoms from two MBA ligands. The Pb atoms are bridged through the carboxylate O atoms from another two MBA ligands, leading to a central Pb2O2 core. The Pb—O bond lengths are in the range 2.325 (3)–2.757 (4) Å. The intra- and interdimer Pb...Pb distances are 4.2942 (3) and 4.2283 (3) Å, respectively, indicating little direct metal–metal interaction. The coordinating water molecules and carboxylate O atoms are involved in extensive O—H...O hydrogen-bonding interactions. The complex has an extended ladder-like chain structure and the chains are assembled by hydrogen bonds and π–π interactions [centroid–centroid distance = 3.6246 (3) Å] into a three-dimensional supramolecular structure