An unusual two‐dimensional hydrogen‐bonding network in bis(2,9‐dimethyl‐1,10‐phenanthrolin‐1‐ium) peroxodisulfate dihydrate

The title compound, 2C₁₄H₁₃N₂⁺·S₂O₈²⁻·2H₂O, is a protonated amine salt which is formed from two rather uncommon ionic species, namely a peroxodisulfate (pds²⁻) anion, which lies across a crystallographic inversion centre, and a 2,9‐dimethyl‐1,10‐phenanthrolin‐1‐ium (Hdmph⁺) cation lying in a general position. Each pds²⁻ anion binds to two water molecules through strong water–peroxo O—H...O interactions, giving rise to an unprecedented planar network of hydrogen‐bonded macrocycles which run parallel to (100). The atoms of the large R₈⁸(30) rings are provided by four water molecules bridging in fully extended form (...H—O—H...) and four pds²⁻ anions alternately acting as long (...O—S—O—O—S—O...) and short (...O—S—O...) bridges. The Hdmph⁺ cations, in turn, bind to these units through hydrogen bonds involving their protonated N atoms. In addition, the crystal structure also contains π–π and aromatic–peroxo C—H...O interactions.