Crystal structure of N,N,N',N',N'',N''-hexa-methyl-guanidinium cyanate 1.5-hydrate.

The title hydrated salt, C7H18N3 (+)·OCN(-).1.5H2O, was synthesized starting from N,N,N',N',N'',N''-hexa-methyl-guanidinium chloride by a twofold anion-exchange reaction. The asymmetric unit contains two cations, two cyanate anions and three water mol-ecules. One cation shows orientational disorder and two sets of N-atom positions were found related by a 60° rotation, with an occupancy ratio of 0.852 (6):0.148 (6). The C-N bond lengths in both guanidin-ium ions range from 1.329 (2) to 1.358 (10) Å, indicating double-bond character, pointing towards charge delocalization within the NCN planes. Strong O-H⋯N hydrogen bonds between the crystal water mol-ecules and the cyanate ions and strong O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds between the water mol-ecules are present, resulting in a two-dimensional hydrogen bonded network running parallel to the (001) plane. The hexa-methyl-guanidinium ions are packed in between the layers built up by water mol-ecules and cyanate ions.