2-(3-Nitrophenyl)-4,5-diphenyl-1H-imidazol-3-ium chloride

The title compound, C21H16N3O2+·Cl−, contains two organic cations with similar conformation and two chloride ions in the asymmetric unit. The imidazole and benzene rings are twisted with respect to each other [dihedral angles of 24.05 (16), 24.31 (16) and 50.38 (13) in one cation and 27.70 (15), 25.07 (16) and 45.86 (14)° in the other]. The crystal packing is stabilized by N—H⋯Cl hydrogen bonds, forming an infinite one-dimensional chain parallel to the c axis.