Crystal structure of lead(II) tartrate: a redetermination

Single crystals of poly[μ4-tartrato-κ(6) O (1),O (3):O (1'):O (2),O (4):O (4')-lead], [Pb(C4H4O6)] n , were grown in a gel medium. In comparison with the previous structure determination of this compound from laboratory powder X-ray diffraction data [De Ridder et al. (2002 ▶). Acta Cryst. C58, m596-m598], the redetermination on the basis of single-crystal data reveals the absolute structure, all atoms with anisotropic displacement parameters and a much higher accuracy in terms of bond lengths and angles. It could be shown that a different space group or incorporation of water as reported for similarly gel-grown lead tartrate crystals is incorrect. In the structure, each Pb(2+) cation is bonded to eight O atoms of five tartrate anions, while each tartrate anion links four Pb(2+) cations. The resulting three-dimensional framework is stabilized by O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds between the OH groups of one tartrate anion and the carboxyl-ate O atoms of adjacent anions.