A novel magnetic coupling is observed in a unpublished crystal that consists of a mono-nuclear manganese(II) complex, namely, [Mn(DPP)(NCS)(2)] (DPP = 2-(3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl)-1,10-phenanthroline), in which neutral DPP molecule functions as tridentate chelated ligand. In the complex Mn(II) ion assumes a distorted trigonal bipyramidal geometry and in the crystal there is a pi-pi stacking interaction between the adjacent complexes, which involves pyridyl ring and the symmetry-related pyrazolyl ring and pyridyl ring. The fitting for the data of the variable-temperature magnetic susceptibilities with infinite uniform Mn(II) chain formula gave the magnetic coupling constant J = -0.11 cm(-1), and theoretical calculations reveal that there exists a very weak anti-ferromagnetic coupling between the adjacent Mn(II) ions with J = -0.02 cm(-1). The magnetic coupling sign is explained based on McConnell I spin-polarization mechanism with the analysis of the spin density population and the factors that dominate the magnetic coupling magnitude. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.