Thiocyanate manganese(II) complexes with pyridine and its derivatives ligands

► The crystal and electronic structures of the four isothiocyanate manganese(II) complexes have been determined and employed for discussion of the bonding properties. ► The 10 Dq and Racah B, C parameters were calculated from electronic spectra of the complexes. The values of nepheloauxetic parameters confirm ionic character of Mn-ligands σ bonds in the complexes. ► All the single crystals of the complexes are paramagnets with small increasing orbital contribution in the sequence of ligands: pyridine, γ-picoline, 2-(hydroxymethyl)pyridine.