Supramolecular solid-state architecture formed by co-crystallization of melamine and phenylacetic acid

Crystallization of melamine with phenylacetic acid from water solution yields melamin-1-ium phenylacetate phenylacetic acid monohydrate supramolecular complex (1). The compound crystallises in the centrosymmetric space group of the triclinic system. In the crystals, beside the ionic interaction, the protonated melamin-1-ium cation (MH+) interacts with phenylacetate anion via two N–H⋯O hydrogen bonds with a graph of R22(8) forming supramolecular {MH…phenylacetate} complex that further interacts with neutral acid molecule by a combination of O–H⋯N and N–H⋯O hydrogen bonds with a graph of R32(10) and then with water molecule via N–H⋯O hydrogen bond forming supramolecular complex of 1. The supramolecular assembly of melamin-1-ium phenylacetate phenylacetic acid monohydrate units is driven by the noncovalent interactions with neighbours via N–H⋯N, N–H⋯O and O–H⋯O with a graph of R22(8), R32(8) and R43(10) into hydrogen-bonded tapes. The tapes are further organised into stacks. Hirshfeld surface and the analysis of the 2D-fingerprint plots are illustrating both qualitatively and quantitatively interactions governing the formation of the supramolecular architecture. The compound was also characterized by the FT-IR and Raman spectroscopy. Assignment of the bands have been supported by the isotropic frequency shift.