4‐Carboxypiperidinium 1‐carboxycyclobutane‐1‐carboxylate

The title salt, C₆H₁₂NO₂⁺·C₆H₇O₄^? or ISO⁺·CBDC^?, is an ionic ensemble assisted by hydrogen bonds. The amino acid moiety (ISO or piperidine‐4‐carboxylic acid) has a protonated ring N atom (ISO⁺ or 4‐carboxypiperidinium), while the semi‐protonated acid (CBDC^? or 1‐carboxycyclobutane‐1‐carboxylate) has the negative charge residing on one carboxylate group, leaving the other as a neutral –COOH group. The –⁺NH₂– state of protonation allows the formation of a two‐dimensional crystal packing consisting of zigzag layers stacked along a separated by van der Waals distances. The layers extend in the bc plane connected by a complex network of N—H...O and O—H...O hydrogen bonds. Wave‐like ribbons, constructed from ISO⁺ and CBDC^? units and described by the graph‐set symbols C₃³(10) and R₃³(14), run alternately in opposite directions along c. Intercalated between the ribbons are ISO⁺ cations linked by hydrogen bonds, forming rings described by the graph‐set symbols R₆⁶(30) and R₄²(18). A detailed analysis of the structures of the individual components and the intricate hydrogen‐bond network of the crystal structure is given.