Crystal structure of 2-chloro-1,3-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-4,5-dihydro-1H-imidazol-3-ium tetrakis(3,5-trifluoromethylphenyl)borate

The title compound, C27H38ClN2+·C32H12BF24−, was synthesized by reacting the product formed from a previous reaction between 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazolinium-2-carboxylate (SIPrCO2), and SOCl2, with sodium tetrakis[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borate (NaBARF). In the cation, the imidazole ring is in a half-chair conformation and the formerly carbene carbon atom is bonded in a distorted trigonal–planar geometry with N—C—Cl angles of 122.96 (16) and 122.21 (16)° and an N—C—N angle of 114.83 (18)°. In the crystal, weak C—H...F hydrogen bonds link the cations and anions, forming a three-dimensional network. In addition, a short Cl...F contact of 3.213 Å and several short F...F contacts less than the sum of the van der Waals radii [1.47 Å + 1.47 Å = 2.94 Å] are observed. The F atoms of two of the CF3groups were refined as disordered over four sets of sites.