1,1′-(4-oxoheptane-1,7-diyl)bis(2-methyl-1H-benzimidazole) pentahydrate

The title compound, C23H26N4O center dot 5H(2)O, has noncrystallographic twofold rotation symmetry in the solid state. It crystallizes with five solvent water molecules in the asymmetric unit. Four of these water molecules are connected with each other via hydrogen-bonding interactions to form two types of centrosymmetric hexameric (H2O)(6) rings. Via edge sharing of the hexamers, the water clusters thus build infinite chains that stretch parallel to the a axis. The fifth water molecule provides an additional connection between the two hexameric (H2O)(6) units via hydrogen bonds to both rings. The water molecules in the channels along the a axis are also bonded via O-H center dot center dot center dot N hydrogen bonds to the organic units, and face-to-face pi-pi interactions [with centroid-to-centroid distances of 3.656 (1) angstrom and average face-to-face distances of 3.431 (5) angstrom] between the aromatic rings of adjacent molecules complete the intermolecular interactions in this structure.