Organic-inorganic hybrid hexachloridostannate(IV) with 2-methylimidazo[1,5-α]pyridin-2ium cation

The hybrid salt bis(2-methylimidazo[1,5-alpha]pyridin-2-ium) hexachloridostannate(IV), (C8H9N2)(2)[SnCl6], crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2(1)/n with the asymmetric unit containing an Sn0.5Cl3 fragment (Sn site symmetry 1) and one organic cation. The five- and six-membered rings in the cation are nearly coplanar; bond lengths in the pyridinium ring of the fused core are as expected; the C-N/C bond distances in the imidazolium entity fall in the range 1.337 (5)- 1.401 (5) angstrom. The octahedral SnCl62- dianion is almost undistorted with the Sn-Cl distances varying from 2.4255 (9) to 2.4881 (8) angstrom and the cis Cl-Sn-Cl angles approaching 90 degrees. In the crystal, pi-stacked chains of cations and loosely packed SnCl62- dianions form separate sheets alternating parallel to (101). Most of the numerous C-(HCl)-Cl-. . .-Sn contacts between the organic and inorganic counterparts with the (HCl)-Cl-. . . distances above the van der Waals contact limit of 2.85 A degrees are considered a result of crystal packing.

Automated summary

The hybrid salt crystallizes in the monoclinic space group with an Sn0.5Cl3 fragment and an organic cation. The cation has coplanar rings and expected bond lengths, while the Cl-Sn-Cl angles in the dianion approach 90 degrees. The crystal structure is formed by pi-stacked chains of cations and loosely packed dianions.