The asymmetric unit of the title compound [Zn8(C16H12N2O4)4(H2O)4]·6C3H7NO, consists of eight ZnII cations, four tetravalent anionic ligands, L4 (L4 = 3,3′-(1E,1′E)-(ethane-1,2-diylbis(azan-1-yl-1-ylidene))bis(methan-1-yl-1-ylidene)dibenzene-1,2-bis(olate), four coordinated water molecules and six N,N-dimethylformamide solvate molecules. The coordination complex comprises an octanuclear ZnII unit with its ZnII centers coordinated in two discrete distorted square-pyramidal geometries. Four ZnII atoms each coordinate to two nitrogen atoms and two phenolate oxygen atoms from an individual L4 ligand and one coordinated water molecule. The other four ZnII atoms each bind to five phenolate oxygen atoms from three different L4 ligands. In the crystal structure, the ZnII complex unit, coordinated water molecules and dimethylformamide solvate molecules are linked via O—H...O and C—H...O hydrogen bonds. Molecules are connected by additional intermolecular O—H...O and C—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming an extensive three dimensional framework.
