Impact of the anion and chalcogen on the crystal structure and properties of 4,6‐dimethyl‐2‐pyrimido(thio)nium halides

By the reaction of urea or thiourea, acetylacetone and hydrogen halide (HF, HBr or HI), we have obtained seven new 4,6‐dimethyl‐2‐pyrimido(thio)nium salts, which were characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction, namely, 4,6‐dimethyl‐2‐oxo‐2,3‐dihydropyrimidin‐1‐ium bifluoride, C₆H₉N₂O⁺·HF₂^? or (dmpH)F₂H, 4,6‐dimethyl‐2‐oxo‐2,3‐dihydropyrimidin‐1‐ium bromide, C₆H₉N₂O⁺·Br^? or (dmpH)Br, 4,6‐dimethyl‐2‐oxo‐2,3‐dihydropyrimidin‐1‐ium iodide, C₆H₉N₂O⁺·I^? or (dmpH)I, 4,6‐dimethyl‐2‐oxo‐2,3‐dihydropyrimidin‐1‐ium iodide–urea (1/1), C₆H₉N₂O⁺·I^?·CH₄N₂O or (dmpH)I·ur, 4,6‐dimethyl‐2‐sulfanylidene‐2,3‐dihydropyrimidin‐1‐ium bifluoride–thiourea (1/1), C₆H₉N₂S⁺·HF₂^?·CH₄N₂S or (dmptH)F₂H·tu, 4,6‐dimethyl‐2‐sulfanylidene‐2,3‐dihydropyrimidin‐1‐ium bromide, C₆H₉N₂S⁺·Br^? or (dmptH)Br, and 4,6‐dimethyl‐2‐sulfanylidene‐2,3‐dihydropyrimidin‐1‐ium iodide, C₆H₉N₂S⁺·I^? or (dmptH)I. Three HCl derivatives were described previously in the literature, namely, 4,6‐dimethyl‐2‐oxo‐2,3‐dihydropyrimidin‐1‐ium chloride, (dmpH)Cl, 4,6‐dimethyl‐2‐sulfanylidene‐2,3‐dihydropyrimidin‐1‐ium chloride monohydrate, (dmptH)Cl·H₂O, and 4,6‐dimethyl‐2‐sulfanylidene‐2,3‐dihydropyrimidin‐1‐ium chloride–thiourea (1/1), (dmptH)Cl·tu. Structural analysis shows that in 9 out of 10 of these compounds, the ions form one‐dimensional chains or ribbons stabilized by hydrogen bonds. Only in one compound are parallel planes present. In all the structures, there are charge‐assisted N⁺—H…X^? hydrogen bonds, as well as weaker C_Ar⁺—H…X^? and π⁺…X^? interactions. The structures can be divided into five types according to their hydrogen‐bond patterns. All the compounds undergo thermal decomposition at relatively high temperatures (150–300 °C) without melting. Four oxopyrimidinium salts containing a π⁺…X^?…π⁺ sandwich‐like structural motif exhibit luminescent properties.