3,3′-Dibenzyl-1,1′-[naphthalene-1,4-diylbis(methylene)]di(1H-imidazol-3-ium) bis(hexafluorophosphate)

In the title N-heterocyclic carbene compound, C32H30N42+center dot 2PF(6)(-), the mean plane of the naphthalene ring system makes dihedral angles of 79.15 (15) and 76.85 (16) with the imidazole rings and 56.15 (19) and 80.56 (16)degrees with the benzene rings. An intramolecular C-H center dot center dot center dot N hydrogen bond occurs. The crystal structure is stabilized by C-H center dot center dot center dot F interactions. In addition, pi-pi interactions [centroid-centroid distances = 3.848 (1) and 3.574 (3) angstrom] are observed. The nine equatorial F atoms in the two PF6- anions were disordered over two positions with occupancy ratios of 0.545 (10):0.455 (10) and 0.793 (11): 0.207 (11) in the two anions.