Solvent‐mediated pseudo‐quadruple hydrogen‐bond motifs in three lamotrigine–carboxylic acid complexes

Lamotrigine, an antiepileptic drug, has been complexed with three aromatic carboxylic acids. All three compounds crystallize with the inclusion of N,N‐dimethylformamide (DMF) solvent, viz. lamotriginium 3,5‐diamino‐6‐(2,3‐dichlorophenyl)‐1,2,4‐triazin‐2‐ium] 4‐iodobenzoate N,N‐dimethylformamide monosolvate, C₉H₈Cl₂N₅⁺·C₇H₄IO₂^?·C₃H₇NO, (I), lamotriginium 4‐methylbenzoate N,N‐dimethylformamide monosolvate, C₉H₇Cl₂N₅⁺·C₈H₈O₂^?·C₃H₇NO, (II), and lamotriginium 3,5‐dinitro‐2‐hydroxybenzoate N,N‐dimethylformamide monosolvate, C₉H₈Cl₂N₅⁺·C₇H₃N₂O₇^?·C₃H₇NO, (III). In all three structures, proton transfer takes place from the acid to the lamotrigine molecule. However, in (I) and (II), the acidic H atom is disordered over two sites and there is only partial transfer of the H atom from O to N. In (III), the corresponding H atom is ordered and complete proton transfer has occurred. Lamotrigine–lamotrigine, lamotrigine–acid and lamotrigine–solvent interactions are observed in all three structures and they thereby exhibit isostructurality. The DMF solvent extends the lamotrigine–lamotrigine dimers into a pseudo‐quadruple hydrogen‐bonding motif.