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

The hybrid salt bis(2-methylimidazo[1,5- a ]pyridin-2-ium) hexachloridostannate(IV), (C 8 H 9 N 2 ) 2 [SnCl 6 ], crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P 2 1 / n with the asymmetric unit containing an Sn 0.5 Cl 3 fragment (Sn site symmetry \overline{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) Å. The octahedral SnCl 6 2– dianion is almost undistorted with the Sn–Cl distances varying from 2.4255 (9) to 2.4881 (8) Å and the cis Cl—Sn—Cl angles approaching 90°. In the crystal, π-stacked chains of cations and loosely packed SnCl 6 2– dianions form separate sheets alternating parallel to (101). Most of the numerous C—H...Cl—Sn contacts between the organic and inorganic counterparts with the H...Cl distances above the van der Waals contact limit of 2.85 Å are considered a result of crystal packing.