Multiple hydrogen bonds in cytosinium zoledronate trihydrate

The asymmetric unit of the title compound systematic name: 4‐amino‐2‐oxo‐2,3‐dihydropyrimidin‐1‐ium 1‐hydroxy‐2‐(1H,3H‐imidazol‐3‐ium‐1‐yl)ethylidenediphosphonate trihydrate], C₄H₆N₃O⁺·C₅H₉N₂O₇P₂⁻·3H₂O, contains one cytosinium cation, one zoledronate anion and three water molecules. The zoledronate anion has a zwitterionic character, in which each phosphonate group is singly deprotonated and an imidazole N atom is protonated. Furthermore, proton transfer takes place from one of the phosphonic acid groups of the zoledronate anion to one of the N atoms of the cytosinium cation. The cytosinium cation forms a C(6) chain, while the zoledronate anion forms a rectangular‐shaped centrosymmetric dimer through N—H...O hydrogen bonds. The cations and anions are held together by N—H...O and O—H...O hydrogen bonds to form a one‐dimensional polymeric tape. The three water molecules play a crucial role in hydrogen bonding, resulting in a three‐dimensional hydrogen‐bonded network.