(R)-1-Phenyl-ethyl-ammonium trifluoro-acetate

In the crystal structure of the title salt, C(8)H(12)N(+)·C(2)F(3)O(2) (-), all of the ammonium H atoms serve as donors for hydrogen bonds to carboxyl-ate O atoms, forming an R(4) (3)(10) ring motif based on two cations and two anions. Since both cations and anions act as inter-ion bridging groups, R(10) rings aggregate in a one-dimensional supra-molecular network by sharing the strongest N-H⋯O bond. Edge-sharing motifs lie on the twofold screw axis parallel to [010], and anti-parallel packing of these 2(1)-column structural units results in the crystal structure. This arrangement is one of the most commonly occurring in conglomerates of chiral 1-phenyl-ethyl-amine with achiral monocarboxylic acids, confirming that these ionic salts are particularly robust supra-molecular heterosynthons useful in crystal engineering.