Two-dimensional networks in 2-methylanilinium picrate and 2,5-dichloroanilinium picrate.

Both the title molecular adducts of 2-methylaniline or 2,5-dichloroaniline with picric acid are 1:1 organic salts, namely 2-methylanilinium picrate, C(7)H(10)N(+) x C(6)H(2)N(3)O(7)(-), (I), and 2,5-dichloroanilinium picrate, C(6)H(6)Cl(2)N(+) x C(6)H(2)N(3)O(7)(-), (II). In both structures, the phenoxide O atoms accept two N-H hydrogen bonds in a bifurcated acceptor fashion, which link the component ions by N-H...O hydrogen bonds into continuous two-dimensional zigzag layers, running parallel to the (100) plane in (I) and the (010) plane in (II). A pi-pi interaction is observed between symmetry-related anilinium cations in (I), while in (II), Cl...O(nitro) and Cl...Cl interactions are observed. This study indicates that a substitution on aniline can exert a pivotal influence on the construction of its supramolecular structure.