Tetrameric O–HO hydrogen-bond systems accompanied by C–HO hydrogen-bonds in the crystal of 1,4-bis(hydroxymethyl)triptycene: an X-ray study

The crystal structure of the title compound was determined (crystal data at 143 K: triclinic, space group P−1, Z=4, a=9.538(2) Å, b=11.638(2) Å, c=14.473(2) Å, α=88.647(3)°, β=89.875(3)°, γ=83.835(3)°, V=1596.9(4) ų). In the crystal there exist two kinds of tetrameric O–HO hydrogen-bond (H-bond) systems that are quite similar to each other. The oxygen atoms accept also intermolecular C–HO H-bonds. The two types of the H-bonds connect the molecules to an infinite two-dimensional supramolecular unit, the stacking of which is aided by an intermolecular C–Hπ H-bond. A phase transition with ΔH_t=4.4±0.1 kJ/mol was found at around 420 K.