Synthesis and crystal structure of a new hybrid organic–inorganic material containing neutral mol­ecules, cations and hepta­molybdate anions

The title compound, hexa­kis­(2-methyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium) hepta­molybdate 2-methyl-1H-imidazole disolvate dihydrate, (C(4)H(7)N(2))(6)[Mo(7)O(24)]·2C(4)H(6)N(2)·2H(2)O, was prepared from 2-methyl­imidazole and ammonium hepta­molybdate tetra­hydrate in acid solution. The [Mo(7)O(24)](6−) hepta­molybdate cluster anion is accompanied by six protonated (C(4)H(7)N(2))(+) 2-methyl­imidazolium cations, two neutral C(4)H(6)N(2) 2-methyl­imidazole mol­ecules and two water mol­ecules of crystallization. The cluster consists of seven distorted MoO(6) octa­hedra sharing edges or vertices. In the crystal, the components are linked by N—H⋯N, N—H⋯O, O—H⋯O, N—H⋯(O,O) and O—H⋯(O,O) hydrogen bonds, generating a three-dimensional network. Weak C—H⋯O inter­actions consolidate the packing.