2-Methyl-5-nitro-1H-benzimidazol-6-amine dihydrate

The title benzimidazole mol­ecule, C(8)H(8)N(4)O(2)·2H(2)O, is planar with a maximum deviation of 0.079 (2) Å (for one of the O atoms in the nitro group). It crystallized as a dihydrate and inter­molecular O—H⋯O and N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the uncoordinated water mol­ecules, and the nitro and amine groups, respectively. In the crystal, N—H⋯O, O—H⋯N, O—H⋯O and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the mol­ecules to form a three-dimensional network. A π–π contact between the benzene rings, [centroid–centroid distance = 3.588 (1) Å] may further stabilize the crystal structure.