A new ionic compound ｛[2-(3′-pyridyl)benzimidazoleH2]2+·[SbCl4]-·Cl-｝4 was synthesized by the hy- drothermal reaction of o-diaminobenzene, nicotinic acid with SbCl3 in 1∶1 HCl solution. The structure was charac- terized by chemical analysis, elemental analysis and IR patterns. The single crystal structure was determined by X-ray single crystal diffraction. It crystallizes in monoclinic system, space group P21/n with a=2.107 9(4) nm, b= 1.482 0(3) nm, c=2.113 4(4) nm, β=93.44(3)°, Z=4, V=6.590(2) nm3, Dc=2.001 g·cm-3, μ=2.480 mm-1, F(000)= 3840, R1=0.0468, wR2=0.1163. The single crystal structure indicates that the four chlorines coordinated to the antimony atom forms a distorted triangle bipyramid configuration together with the lone electron pair on the Sb atom. The [SbCl4]- to 2-(3′-pyridyl)benzimidazole cation and Cl- by weak interaction forms the ionic crystal. It has been proved that the title compound has antibacterial activity. CCDC: 283824.
