The ternary complex 4-(2-pyridyl)pyridinium-3,5-dinitrobenzoate-3,5-dinitrobenzoic acid (1/1/1)

In the title ternary complex, C(10)H(9)N(2)(+).C(7)H(3)N(2)O(6)(-).C(7)H(4)N(2)O(6), the pyridinium cation adopts the role of the donor in an intermolecular N-H.O hydrogen-bonding interaction with the carboxylate group of the 3,5-dinitrobenzoate anion. The molecules of the ternary complex form molecular ribbons perpendicular to the b direction, which are stabilized by one N-H.O, one O-H.O and five C-H.O intermolecular hydrogen bonds. The ribbons are further interconnected by three intermolecular C-H.O hydrogen bonds into a three-dimensional network.