1-methyl-4-nitraminopyridinium nitrate and 4-nitraminopyridinium methanesulfonate

In the title compounds, C6H8N3O2+*NO3- and C5H6N3O2+*-CH3SO3-, respectively, the cations are almost planar; the twist of the nitramino group about the C-N and N-N bonds does not exceed 10 degrees. The deviations from coplanarity are accounted for by intermolecular N-H...O interactions. The coplanarity of the NHNO2 group and the phenyl ring leads to the deformation of the nitramino group. The C-N-N angle and one C-C-N angle at the junction of the phenyl ring and the nitramino group are increased from 120 degrees by ca 6 degrees, whereas the other junction C-C-N angle is decreased by ca 5 degrees. Within the nitro group, the O-N-O angle is increased by ca 5 degrees and one O-N-N angle is decreased by ca 5 degrees, whereas the other O-N-N angle remains almost unchanged. The cations are connected to the anions by relatively strong N-H...O hydrogen bonds [shortest H.O separations 1.77 (2)-1.81 (3) A] and much weaker C-H...O hydrogen bonds [H...O separations 2.30 (2)-2.63 (3) A].