N-benzoyl-N′,N"-diphenylguanidinium chloride

In the title compound, C20H18N3O+center dot Cl-, the orientation of the aromatic rings around the planar CN3+ unit produces steric hindrance. As a consequence of this particular orientation of the guanidinium cation, hydrogen bonding is restricted to N-center dot center dot center dot Cl and intramolecular N-H center dot center dot center dot O hydrogen bonds within the discrete unit. The guanidinium and carbonyl groups are coplanar as a result of the six-membered ring formed by the N-H center dot center dot center dot O intramolecular hydrogen bond. The dihedral angles between the guanidinium plane and the two phenyl rings are 62.31 (8) and 64.24 (8)degrees.