β-Alaninium picrate: A new salt with di-β-alaninium dimeric cation

► A new (β-alaninium picrate) salt with β-alanine β-alaninium dimeric cation is discovered. ► Two groups of dimeric cations with short and relatively long (O⋯O) distances exist. ► There are four different types of A+⋯A+ dimeric cations according to conformation and symmetry. ► The title salt belongs to the group with centrosymmetrical pairs and short (O⋯O) distances.