Crystal structure of the high-energy-density material guanylurea dipicryl-amide

The title compound, 1-carbamoylguanidinium bis-(2,4,6-tri-nitro-phen-yl)amide [H2NC(=O)NHC(NH2)2](+)[N{C6H2(NO2)3-2,4,6}2](-) (= guanylurea dipicryl-amide), was prepared as dark-red block-like crystals in 70% yield by salt-metathesis reaction between guanylurea sulfate and sodium dipicryl-amide. In the solid state, the new compound builds up an array of mutually linked guanylurea cations and dipicryl-amide anions. The crystal packing is dominated by an extensive network of N-H⋯O hydrogen bonds, resulting in a high density of 1.795 Mg m(-3), which makes the title compound a potential secondary explosive.