Synthesis and Structural Characterization of N,N′- Dipropyl-N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,2- ethylenediammonium Dichloride and Dibromide

N,N′ -Dipropyl-N,N,N′ ,N′-tetramethyl-1,2-ethylenediammonium dichloride (1) and dibromide (2) were prepared by the reaction of N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-1,2-ethylenediamine and the corresponding 1-halopropane. The structures of the compounds were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. 1 · 2H2O crystallizes in the triclinic crystal system, space group P1, with Z = 1, and 2 in the monoclinic crystal system, space group P21/c, with Z = 2. The crystal structures of the salts consist of discrete dications and halide anions. The packing in 1 · 2H2O consists of layers of cations with the chloride anions and water molecules forming hydrogen-bonded chains between the cation layers. In 2, the strongest H· · ·Br hydrogen bonds of 2.8138(6) and 2.8187(7) Å link the cations and anions into doublestranded chains. In both salts, cations and anions are also linked together by a further weak C–H· · ·Cl/Br hydrogen bonding network.