Crystal structure of octane-1,8-diaminium 4,4'-(diazene-1,2-di-yl)dibenzoate monohydrate.

The title salt, C8H22N22+·C14H8N2O42-·H2O, represents a pseudo-polymer ionic material, resulting from the self-organizing behavior of 4,4'-azinodibenzoate dianions and doubly protonated, 1,8-diaminium-octane cations in aqueous solution. The asymmetric unit consists of two halves of octane 1,8-diaminium cations (the complete cations are both generated by crystallographic inversion symmetry), a 4,4'-azinodibenzoate anion [dihedral angle between the aromatic rings = 10.22 (4)°] and a water mol-ecule of crystallization. One of the cations is in a fully extended linear conformation while the second one has a terminal C-C-C-N gauche conformation. In the crystal, the cations, anions and water mol-ecules are linked into a three-dimensional network via a complex pattern of charge-assisted N-H⋯O and O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds.

Assembly and dichroism of a four-component halogen-bonded metal-organic cocrystal salt solvate involving dicyanoaurate(I) acceptors.

We describe the use of dicyanoaurate ions as linear ditopic metal-organic acceptors for the halogen bond-driven assembly of a dichroic metal-organic cocrystal based on azobenzene chromophores. Structural analysis by single crystal X-ray diffraction revealed that the material is a four-component solid, consisting of anticipated anionic metal-organic halogen-bonded chains based on dicyanoaurate ions, as well as complex potassium-based cations and discrete molecules of the crown ether 15-crown-5. Importantly, the structural analysis revealed the parallel alignment of the halogen-bonded chains required for dichroic behaviour, confirming that crystal engineering principles developed for the design of halogen-bonded dichroic organic cocrystals are also applicable to metal-based structures. In the broader context of crystal engineering, the structure of the herein reported dichroic material is additionally interesting as the presence of an ion pair, a neutral azobenzene and a molecule of a room-temperature liquid make it an example of a solid that simultaneously conforms to definitions of a salt, a cocrystal, and a solvate.

In situ monitoring of vapour-induced assembly of pharmaceutical cocrystals using a benchtop powder X-ray diffractometer.

We describe a simple setup for in situ continuous monitoring of vapour-induced transformations of organic solids using a benchtop powder X-ray diffractometer. Proof-of-principle application of this setup to model pharmaceutical cocrystals reveals complex reactivity, transformations of reaction intermediates within minutes, and a simple route to the rarely observed monoclinic form of the pharmaceutical cocrystal of carbamazepine and saccharin.