2-(2-Pyridylamino)pyridinium tetra-chlorido-zincate(II)

The structure of the title compound, (C10H10N3)2[ZnCl4], is composed of C10H9N3H⁺ (DPAH⁺) cations and [ZnCl4]^2- anions. The two pyridyl rings of DPAH⁺ are approximately coplanar, with a dihedral angle of 7.2 (2)° between their corresponding least-squares planes. The proton is disordered in a one-to-one ratio over the two chemically equivalent pyridyl N atoms. An intra-molecular hydrogen bond is formed between the pyridinium H atom and the pyridyl N atom of the other pyridyl ring. The Zn atom lies on a twofold rotation axis. There are also some weak N - H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds. These inter-actions lead to the formation of an alternating zigzag chain in the solid state. The results clearly show that reducing agents normally used in hydro-thermal syntheses, such as metallic zinc employed here, are also active in terms of coordination chemistry.