1-Benzyl-3-[(trimethylsilyl)methyl]benzimidazolium chloride monohydrate

The title compound, C(18)H(23)N(2)Si(+)center dot Cl(-)center dot H(2)O, was synthesized from 1-[(trimethylsilyl)methyl]benzimidazole and benzyl chloride in dimethylformamide. The benzimidazole ring system is approximately planar, with a maximum deviation of 0.022 (2) angstrom, and makes an angle of 74.80 (12)degrees with the phenyl ring. The crystal packing is stabilized by O-H center dot center dot center dot Cl, C-H center dot center dot center dot Cl, C-H center dot center dot center dot O and C-H center dot center dot center dot pi interactions between symmetry-related molecules together with pi-pi stacking interactions between the imidazolium and benzene rings [centroid-centroid distance = 3.5690 (15) angstrom] and between the benzene rings [centroid-centroid distance = 3.7223 (14) angstrom].