2,2′-[4,10-Bis(carb­oxy­meth­yl)-4,10-diaza-1,7-diazo­niacyclo­dodecane-1,7-di­yl]diacetate dihydrate

In the title compound, C(16)H(28)N(4)O(8)·2H(2)O, the 12-membered macrocycle has twofold crystallographic symmetry and the asymmetric unit comprises one half-mol­ecule. The four carbox­yl/carboxyl­ate groups reside on the same side of the macrocycle. The mol­ecule is a double zwitterion with two of the carb­oxy­lic acid H atoms transferred to the two N atoms on the opposite sides of the macrocycle, resulting in both N atoms having positive charges and leaving the two resulting carboxyl­ate groups with negative charges. The two remaining carb­oxy­lic acid groups and the carboxyl­ate groups form O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds with the crystal water mol­ecules. The H atoms bound to the N atoms within the macrocyle are engaged in two equivalent hydrogen bonds with the adjacent N atoms.