Tetrapotassium [μ2-N-carboxylato-D-penicillaminato(3-)-5:6κ2S:S][μ2-D-penicillaminato(1-)-2:3κ2S:S]tetrakis[μ2-D-penicillaminato(2-)]-1:2κ3N,S:S;1:6κ3N,S:S;3:4κ3S:N,S;4:5κ3N,S:S-2,3,5,6-tetragold(I)-1,4-dinickel(II) ethanol monosolvate decahydrate

In the crystal structure of the title compound, K-4[Au4Ni2-(C6H8NO4S)(C5H9NO2S)(4)(C5H10NO2S)]center dot C2H6O center dot 10H(2)O, (I), two planar [Ni(C5H9NO2S)(2)](2-) units are spanned by [Au-2-(C5H10NO2S)](+) and [Au-2(C6H8NO4S)](-) linkers through S atoms, forming an S:S-bridged (Au4Ni2II)-Ni-I hexanuclear complex anion. One of six organic ligands in the complex anion is a carbamino derivative of D-penicillamine (3-mercaptovaline) and the others are deprotonated D-penicillamines. Each complex anion binds to nine K+ ions through six carboxylate and one carbamino groups to construct a three-dimensional structure.