Acyclic Schiff base salts derived from 1,3-diamino­propane and 1,3-diamino-2-hydroxy­propane

Two salts of acyclic Schiff base cationic ligands, namely N,N'-­bis­(2-nitro­benzyl)­propane-1,3-diammonium dichloride monohydrate, C₁₇H₂₂N₄O₄²⁺·2Cl^-·H₂O, (I), and 2-hydr­oxy-N,N'-bis­(2-nitro­benzyl)­propane-1,3-diammonium dichloride, C₁₇H₂₂N₄O₅²⁺·2Cl^-, (II), were synthesized as precursors in order to obtain new acyclic and macrocyclic multidentate ligands and complexes. The cation conformations in compounds (I) and (II) are different in the solid state, although the cations are closely related chemically. Similarly, the hydrogen-bonding networks involving ammonium cations, hydroxyl groups and chloride anions are also different. In the cation of compound (II), the hydroxyl group is disordered over two sets of sites, with occupancies of 0.785 (8) and 0.215 (8).