RuNi4N4 crystallizes in the triclinic P-1 space group. Ru(1) is bonded to one N(1), one N(2), one N(3), and one N(4) atom to form RuN4 tetrahedra that share corners with four equivalent Ni(1)N4 trigonal pyramids. There are four inequivalent Ni sites. In the first Ni site, Ni(1) is bonded to one N(1), one N(2), one N(3), and one N(4) atom to form NiN4 trigonal pyramids that share corners with four equivalent Ru(1)N4 tetrahedra. In the second Ni site, Ni(2) is bonded in a 4-coordinate geometry to two equivalent N(2) and two equivalent N(3) atoms. In the third Ni site, Ni(3) is bonded in a distorted T-shaped geometry to one N(1) and two equivalent N(4) atoms. In the fourth Ni site, Ni(4) is bonded in a 3-coordinate geometry to one N(4) and two equivalent N(1) atoms. There are four inequivalent N sites. In the first N site, N(1) is bonded to one Ru(1), one Ni(1), one Ni(3), and two equivalent Ni(4) atoms to form distorted NNi4Ru trigonal bipyramids that share corners with four equivalent N(4)Ni4Ru trigonal bipyramids, corners with two equivalent N(2)Ni3Ru trigonal pyramids,  an edgeedge with one N(1)Ni4Ru trigonal bipyramid, and  an edgeedge with one N(4)Ni4Ru trigonal bipyramid. In the second N site, N(2) is bonded to one Ru(1), one Ni(1), and two equivalent Ni(2) atoms to form NNi3Ru trigonal pyramids that share corners with two equivalent N(1)Ni4Ru trigonal bipyramids, corners with two equivalent N(4)Ni4Ru trigonal bipyramids, and  an edgeedge with one N(2)Ni3Ru trigonal pyramid. In the third N site, N(3) is bonded in a 4-coordinate geometry to one Ru(1), one Ni(1), and two equivalent Ni(2) atoms. In the fourth N site, N(4) is bonded to one Ru(1), one Ni(1), one Ni(4), and two equivalent Ni(3) atoms to form NNi4Ru trigonal bipyramids that share corners with four equivalent N(1)Ni4Ru trigonal bipyramids, corners with two equivalent N(2)Ni3Ru trigonal pyramids,  an edgeedge with one N(1)Ni4Ru trigonal bipyramid, and  an edgeedge with one N(4)Ni4Ru trigonal bipyramid.
RuNi4N4 crystallizes in the triclinic P-1 space group. Ru(1) is bonded to one N(1), one N(2), one N(3), and one N(4) atom to form RuN4 tetrahedra that share corners with four equivalent Ni(1)N4 trigonal pyramids. The Ru(1)-N(1) bond length is 1.96 Å. The Ru(1)-N(2) bond length is 1.98 Å. The Ru(1)-N(3) bond length is 1.91 Å. The Ru(1)-N(4) bond length is 1.97 Å. There are four inequivalent Ni sites. In the first Ni site, Ni(1) is bonded to one N(1), one N(2), one N(3), and one N(4) atom to form NiN4 trigonal pyramids that share corners with four equivalent Ru(1)N4 tetrahedra. The Ni(1)-N(1) bond length is 1.97 Å. The Ni(1)-N(2) bond length is 1.92 Å. The Ni(1)-N(3) bond length is 1.90 Å. The Ni(1)-N(4) bond length is 1.91 Å. In the second Ni site, Ni(2) is bonded in a 4-coordinate geometry to two equivalent N(2) and two equivalent N(3) atoms. There is one shorter (1.86 Å) and one longer (1.91 Å) Ni(2)-N(2) bond length. There is one shorter (1.93 Å) and one longer (1.98 Å) Ni(2)-N(3) bond length. In the third Ni site, Ni(3) is bonded in a distorted T-shaped geometry to one N(1) and two equivalent N(4) atoms. The Ni(3)-N(1) bond length is 1.88 Å. There is one shorter (1.90 Å) and one longer (1.96 Å) Ni(3)-N(4) bond length. In the fourth Ni site, Ni(4) is bonded in a 3-coordinate geometry to one N(4) and two equivalent N(1) atoms. The Ni(4)-N(4) bond length is 1.86 Å. There is one shorter (1.89 Å) and one longer (2.04 Å) Ni(4)-N(1) bond length. There are four inequivalent N sites. In the first N site, N(1) is bonded to one Ru(1), one Ni(1), one Ni(3), and two equivalent Ni(4) atoms to form distorted NNi4Ru trigonal bipyramids that share corners with four equivalent N(4)Ni4Ru trigonal bipyramids, corners with two equivalent N(2)Ni3Ru trigonal pyramids,  an edgeedge with one N(1)Ni4Ru trigonal bipyramid, and  an edgeedge with one N(4)Ni4Ru trigonal bipyramid. In the second N site, N(2) is bonded to one Ru(1), one Ni(1), and two equivalent Ni(2) atoms to form NNi3Ru trigonal pyramids that share corners with two equivalent N(1)Ni4Ru trigonal bipyramids, corners with two equivalent N(4)Ni4Ru trigonal bipyramids, and  an edgeedge with one N(2)Ni3Ru trigonal pyramid. In the third N site, N(3) is bonded in a 4-coordinate geometry to one Ru(1), one Ni(1), and two equivalent Ni(2) atoms. In the fourth N site, N(4) is bonded to one Ru(1), one Ni(1), one Ni(4), and two equivalent Ni(3) atoms to form NNi4Ru trigonal bipyramids that share corners with four equivalent N(1)Ni4Ru trigonal bipyramids, corners with two equivalent N(2)Ni3Ru trigonal pyramids,  an edgeedge with one N(1)Ni4Ru trigonal bipyramid, and  an edgeedge with one N(4)Ni4Ru trigonal bipyramid.