Crystal structure of 2-methyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium hydrogen oxalate dihydrate

Abstract

Single crystals of the title molecular salt, C4H7N2+·HC2O4−·2H2O, were isolated from the reaction of 2-methyl-1H-imidazole and oxalic acid in a 1:1 molar ratio in water. In the crystal, the cations and anions are positioned alternately along an infinite [010] ribbon and linked together through bifurcated N—H...(O,O) hydrogen bonds. The water molecules of crystallization link the chains into (10-1) bilayers, with the methyl groups of the cations organized in an isotactic manner.