Crystal structure and void analysis of tris(2-amino-1-methylbenzimidazolium) hexakis(nitrato-κ 2 O , O ′)lanthanate(III)

The organic–inorganic complex salt, (C 8 H 10 N 3 ) 3 [La(NO 3 ) 6 ], comprises a network of N-protonated 2-amino-1-methylbenzimidazolium cations and hexakis(nitrato)lanthanate(III) anions. The La III atom is twelve-coordinate within a distorted icosahedral environment. In the unit cell, each pair of the La III atoms lie nearly on one of the crystallographic glide planes. In the crystal structure, there are several N—H...O hydrogen-bonding interactions between the cations and terminal oxygen atoms from the nitrate moieties of the [La(NO 3 ) 6 ] 3– anion. Additional weak C—H...O hydrogen bonds between the cations and anions consolidate the three-dimensional arrangement of the structure. A packing analysis was performed to check the strength of the crystal packing.