Donepezilium oxalate trihydrate, a therapeutic agent for Alzheimer's disease.

Donepezil, a cholinesterase inhibitor with good central nervous system penetration, has been crystallized as a tertiary amine salt with a disordered oxalate anion to give the title compound, (R,S)-1-benzyl-4-[(5,6-dimethoxy-1-oxoindan-2-yl)methyl]piperidinium hydrogen oxalate trihydrate, C24H30NO3+.C2HO4-.3H2O. The indanone and piperidine ring planes are inclined at an angle of 33.4 (1) degrees. A comparison is made with the piperidinium cation bound in acetylcholinesterase in the solid state. The methylene units bridging the indanone-piperidine-benzyl groups determine the molecular shape and conformational features. The structure is stabilized mainly by O-H...O and N-H...O hydrogen bonds, with water molecules mediating interactions between oxalate anions and donepezilium cations.