Methyl-ergometrine maleate from synchrotron powder diffraction data.

The title compound {systematic name: 9,10-didehydro-N-[1-(hydroxy-meth-yl)prop-yl]-d-lysergamide maleate}, C(20)H(26)N(3)O(2) (+)·C(4)H(3)O(4) (-), contains a large rigid ergolene group. This group consists of an indole plane connected to a six-membered carbon ring adopting an envelope conformation and N-methyl-tetra-hydro-pyridine where the methyl group is in an equatorial position. In the crystal, inter-molecular N-H⋯O, O-H⋯N and O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds form an extensive three-dimensional hydrogen-bonding network, which holds the cations and anions together.