Molecular Propellers that Consist of Dehydrobenzo[14]annulene Blades

A new class of propel‐ ler‐shaped compound ( 4 ), which consisted of dehydrobenzo[14]annulene ([14]DBA) blades, as well as its naphtho homologues ( 5 and 6 ), have been prepared. Although NMR studies of compound 4 did not provide useful information regarding its conformation in solution, DFT calculations with different functionals and the 6‐31G* basis set all indicated that the D₃‐symmetric structure was energetically more favorable than the C₂ conformer. From X‐ray crystallographic analysis, it appeared that compound 4 adopted a propeller‐shaped‐, approximately D₃‐symmetric structure in the solid state, in which the [14]DBA blades were twisted substantially owing to steric repulsion between the neighboring benzene rings. On the contrary, in the case of compound 6 , although the DFT calculations with the B3LYP functional predicted that the D₃‐symmetric conformation was more stable, calculations with the M05 and M05‐2X functionals indicated that the C₂ conformer was more favorable because of π–π interactions between the naphthalene units of a pair of neighboring blades. Indeed, X‐ray analysis of compound 6 showed that it adopted an approximately C₂‐symmetric conformation. Moreover, on the basis of variable‐temperature ¹H NMR measurements, we found that compound 6 adopted a C₂ conformation and the barrier for interconversion between the C₂–C₂ conformers was estimated to be 16.2 kcal mol^?1; however, no indication of the presence of the D₃ isomer was obtained. The relatively small energy barriers to interconversion, despite the large overlapping of neighboring blades, was ascribed to the flexibility of the acetylene linkages, which could be deformed substantially in the transition state of the ring‐flip.     

N,N:N′,N′‐Bis(2,2'‐dihydroxy­biphen­yl‐3,3'‐dimethyl­idene)benzene‐1,2‐diamine dimeth­yl sulfoxide tetra­solvate

The title compound, 8,15,28,35‐tetra­aza­hepta­cyclo[35.3.1.1^2,6.1^17,21.1^22,26.0^9,14·0^29,34]tetraconta‐1(41),2,4,6(42),7,9,11,13,15,17,19,21(43),22,24,26(44),27,29,31,33,35,37,39‐docosaene‐41,42,43,44‐tetrol dimeth­yl sulfoxide tetra­solvate, C₄₀H₂₈N₄O₄·4C₂H₆OS, adopts a chair‐shaped C_2h symmetric conformation with crystallographically imposed inversion symmetry. Four intra­molecular hydrogen bonds are observed between phenol O and imine N atoms.     

A synchrotron study of (2R,5′S)‐5′‐benzyl‐5‐bromo‐6‐methoxyspiro[indane‐2,2′‐piperazine]‐3′,6′‐dione dimethylformamide solvate

Synchrotron radiation was used to study the structure of the title compound, C₂₀H₁₉BrN₂O₃·C₃H₇NO, which was obtained as fine fragile needle‐shaped crystals by recrystallization from dimethylformamide (DMF), one molecule of which is incorporated per asymmetric unit into the crystal. The compound adopts a compact closed conformation with the orientation of the benzyl group such that the aryl ring is positioned over the piperazinedione ring, resulting in a C_spiro...C_trans—C—C_Ph pseudo‐torsion angle of −3.3 (3)°. The five‐membered ring is present in an expected envelope conformation and the six‐membered piperazinedione ring adopts a less puckered boat‐like conformation. Reciprocal amide‐to‐amide hydrogen bonding between adjacent piperazinedione rings and C—H...O interactions involving DMF molecules propagate in the crystal as a thick ribbon in the a‐axis direction.     

Shape‐Assisted Self‐Organization in Highly Disordered Liquid Crystal Phases

In achiral rod‐like molecules, a nematic phase is the most disordered liquid crystal phase, which only has one‐directional order in the direction of the molecular long axis. A dumbbell‐shaped molecule (compound 3 : R−C₆H₁₀−CH=CH−C₆H₄−CH=CH−C₆H₁₀−R, (R=n C₅H₁₁)), and its liquid crystal phase (X phase) are reported, which exhibit high scattering without thermal fluctuation between two nematic phases under a polarized light optical microscope. The X phase was investigated by X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and molecular dynamics simulation. A layered structure was ascertained for which a molecular self‐organization mechanism was postulated in which the super‐structure is based on lateral intermolecular interlocking. A second nematic phase above the X phase consisted of “rice grain”‐shaped particles.     

3‐Oxa‐6,8‐diaza‐1,2:4,5‐dibenzocycloocta‐1,4‐dien‐7‐one: a three‐dimensional network assembled by hydrogen‐bonding, π–π and edge‐to‐face interactions

The title compound, C₁₃H₁₀N₂O₂, is the first structure in which the urea moiety is incorporated into an eight‐membered ring. Two mol­ecules are found in the asymmetric unit, which are almost identical in their conformation and their hydrogen‐bond pattern. The carbonyl O atom acts as a double acceptor for the NH groups of two adjacent mol­ecules. In this way, infinite tapes are formed, which are connected viaπ–π and edge‐to‐face interactions in the second and third dimension. This hierarchical order of interactions is confirmed by molecular mechanics calculations. Force‐field and semi‐empirical calculations for a single mol­ecule did not find the envelope conformation present in the crystal, indicating instead a C_s conformation. Only with a model consisting of a hydrogen‐bonded dimer or a larger hydrogen‐bonded section was a conformation found that was similar to the one present in the crystal.     

(–)‐Dimenthyl malonate

The title compound, bis(2‐iso­propyl‐5‐methyl­cyclo­hex‐1‐yl) malonate, C₂₃H₄₀O₄, crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P2₁. In the crystal, the mol­ecule is not C₂ symmetric.     

(E)‐Ethyl 3‐(3,4‐dihydroxyphenyl)prop‐2‐enoate: a natural polymorph extracted from Aristotelia chilensis (Maqui)

The natural title compound, C₁₁H₁₂O₄, extracted from the Chilean native tree Aristotelia chilensis (Maqui), is a polymorph of the synthetic E form reported by Xia, Hu & Rao [Acta Cryst. (2004), E 60 , o913–o914]. Both rotational conformers are identical from a metrical point of view, and only differ in the orientation of the 3,4‐dihydroxyphenyl ring with respect to the rest of the molecule, which leads to completely different crystal structure arrangements and packing efficiencies. The reasons behind both reside in the different hydrogen‐bonding interactions.     

Methyl 2,3‐dideoxy‐2‐S‐methylmercurio‐2‐thio‐β‐d‐manno‐oct‐2‐ulo­pyranosonate‐(2,6)

The hexo­pyran­osyl ring of the title compound, [Hg(CH₃)(C₉H₁₅O₇S)], adopts the ⁴C₁ chair conformation, and the anomeric configuration of the thio­methyl­mercury linkage is β. The compound exists as two symmetry‐independent conformers, A and B, within the unit cell, and each shows an almost linear S—Hg—C arrangement. Most of the bond distances and angles in A and B are similar, although a marked difference exists in the side‐chain conformation. Weak secondary intramolecular (between Hg and ring O) and intermolecular (between A and B conformers) interactions are documented.     

2′‐De­oxy‐5‐propynyl­cytidine: a nucleoside forming two solid‐state conformations

The title compound, 4‐amino‐1‐(2‐deoxy‐β‐d ‐erythropentofuranosyl)‐5‐(prop‐1‐ynyl)pyrimidin‐2(1H)‐one, C₁₂H₁₅N₃O₄, shows two conformations in the crystalline state which differ mainly in the glycosylic bond torsion angle and the sugar pucker. Both mol­ecules exhibit an anti glycosylic bond conformation, with torsion angles χ = −135.0 (2) and −156.4 (2)° for mol­ecules 1 and 2, respectively. The sugar moieties show a twisted C2′‐endo sugar pucker (S‐type), with P = 173.3 and 192.5° for mol­ecules 1 and 2, respectively. The crystal structure is characterized by a three‐dimensional network that is stabilized by several inter­molecular hydrogen bonds between the two conformers.     

Corannulene Molecular Rotor with Flexible Perfluorobenzyl Blades: Synthesis,Structure and Properties

Two members of a new class of organic‐acceptor perfluorobenzyl corannulenes were prepared by gas‐phase and highly‐selective solution‐phase reactions at elevated temperatures. The peculiar single‐crystal X‐ray structure of C₅‐C₂₀H₅(CF₂C₆F₅)₅ revealed two high‐energy conformers with drastically different bowl depths and orientations of perfluorobenzyl blades; the conformers are alternating in columnar packing arrangements and every pair is sandwiched by toluene molecules.     

1,8,14,20‐Tetra­oxa‐11,23‐dithia­tricyclo­[21.3.0.09,13]hexa­cosa‐9,12,21,24‐tetra­ene

Mol­ecules of the title compound, C₂₀H₂₈O₄S₂, the first compound with a tetra­oxacyclo­hexa­cosane ring to be structurally characterized, lie on crystallographic centres of inversion, but have approximate C_2h mol­ecular symmetry. The parallel thio­phene rings are almost exactly planar; the overall conformation of the mol­ecule is chair‐like. The mol­ecules have voids that could, in principle, accommodate small guest mol­ecules, although in the crystal structure access to these voids is blocked by neighbouring mol­ecules.     

Preparation of C3‐Symmetric Homochiral syn‐Trisnorbornabenzenes through Regioselective Cyclotrimerization of Enantiopure Iodonorbornenes

C₃‐symmetric homochiral (?)‐syn‐trisoxonorbornabenzene 1 possessing a rigid cup‐shaped structure was synthesized through a novel regioselective cyclotrimerization of enantiopure iodonorbornenes catalyzed by palladium nanoclusters. The yield of the cyclotrimerization was dependent on the stability of the palladium clusters, which was ascertained from the appearance and TEM images of the reaction mixtures. The efficient preparation of (?)‐syn‐ 1 was established in short steps, including the newly developed cyclotrimerization reaction. The thus‐prepared homochiral (?)‐syn‐ 1 can serve as a key intermediate for the synthesis of C₃‐symmetric homochiral cup‐shaped molecules with a helical arrangement of substituents. Introduction of several types of substituents was well demonstrated through palladium‐catalyzed coupling reactions with the corresponding phosphate and triflate of (?)‐syn‐ 1 .     

Diethyl 3,8‐di­methyl‐4,7‐di­aza­deca‐2,8‐dienedioate

The title compound, C₁₄H₂₄N₂O₄, consists of two symmetric moieties related through a twofold axis. The whole mol­ecule has a cis conformation. Both the ionic enol form and the non‐ionic keto form make comparable contributions to the structure. In the crystal structure, infinite supramolecular chains are formed through N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds.     

Conformational disorder in 4‐(5,5′‐dibromo‐2′‐chloro‐4,4′‐bipyridyl‐2‐yl)benzaldehyde: role of π–π and halogen interactions

The crystal packing of the title compound, C₁₇H₉Br₂ClN₂O, is governed by strong π–π stacking, where molecules are tightly bound within infinite (100) planes; these planes interact mainly through non‐optimal π–π stacking where arene rings are noticeably displaced from perfect overlap, and also through halogen–halogen interactions. The aldehyde group shows conformational disorder, with a significant population difference between the two conformers; this difference is rationalized by the energetic analysis of the crystal packing using the PIXEL method, which also allows a decomposition of intermolecular interaction energy into Coulombic, polarization, dispersion and repulsion contributions. Using such an analysis, it is found that the main reason for this unequal population of the two conformers in the crystal is two hydrogen bonds that are present only for the major conformer.     

Hydrogen‐bonded network in biphenyl‐4,4′‐diphosphonic acid

The crystal structure of the title compound, C₁₂H₁₂O₆P₂, displays two different regions alternating along the a axis: a hydrogen‐bonded region encompassing the end‐positioned phosphonic acid groups and a hydrophobic region formed by the aromatic spacers. The asymmetric unit contains only half of the biphenyl‐4,4′‐diphosphonic acid (4,4′‐bpdp) molecule, which is symmetric with an inversion centre imposed at the mid‐point between the two aromatic rings. The periodic organization of the molecules is controlled by two strong O—H...O interactions between the phosphonic acid sites. Weak C—H...π interactions are established in the aromatic regions.     

Monitoring structural transformations in crystals. 7. 1‐Chloro­anthracene and its photodimer

Crystals of the 1‐chloro­anthracene photodimer, viz. trans‐bi(1‐chloro‐9,10‐di­hydro‐9,10‐anthracenediyl), C₂₈H₁₈Cl₂, were obtained from the solid‐state [4+4]‐photodimerization of the monomer, C₁₄H₉Cl, followed by recrystallization. The symmetry of the product mol­ecules is defined by the orientation of the reactant mol­ecules in the crystal. The mutual orientation parameters calculated for adjacent monomers explain the reactivity of the compound. The mol­ecules in the crystal of the monomer and the recrystallized photodimer pack differently and the photodimer has crystallographically imposed inversion symmetry.     

Cocrystal of cis‐ and trans‐N‐phenylformamide

N‐Phenylformamide, C₇H₇NO, crystallizes with two molecules in the asymmetric unit which have different conformations of the formylamino group, one being cis and the other trans. This is the first example of an arylformamide crystal containing both conformational isomers and it may thus be considered a cocrystal of the two conformers. The two molecules in the unit cell are linked through N—H...O hydrogen bonding to two other molecules, thereby forming hydrogen‐bonded tetramers within the crystal structure.     

Nonperipherally Octa(butyloxy)‐Substituted Phthalocyanine Derivatives with Good Crystallinity: Effects of Metal–Ligand Coordination on the Molecular Structure,Internal Structure,and Dimensions of Self‐Assembled Nanostructures

To investigate the effects of metal–ligand coordination on the molecular structure, internal structure, dimensions, and morphology of self‐assembled nanostructures, two nonperipherally octa(alkoxyl)‐substituted phthalocyanine compounds with good crystallinity, namely, metal‐free 1,4,8,11,15,18,22,25‐octa(butyloxy)phthalocyanine H₂Pc(α‐OC₄H₉)₈ ( 1 ) and its lead complex Pb[Pc(α‐OC₄H₉)₈] ( 2 ), were synthesized. Single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis revealed the distorted molecular structure of metal‐free phthalocyanine with a saddle conformation. In the crystal of 2 , two monomeric molecules are linked by coordination of the Pb atom of one molecule with an aza‐nitrogen atom and its two neighboring oxygen atoms from the butyloxy substituents of another molecule, thereby forming a Pb‐connected pseudo‐double‐decker supramolecular structure with a domed conformation for the phthalocyanine ligand. The self‐assembling properties of 1 and 2 in the absence and presence of sodium ions were comparatively investigated by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), spectroscopy, and X‐ray diffraction techniques. Intermolecular π–π interactions between metal‐free phthalocyanine molecules led to the formation of nanoribbons several micrometers in length and with an average width of approximately 100 nm, whereas the phthalocyaninato lead complex self‐assembles into nanostructures also with the ribbon morphology and micrometer length but with a different average width of approximately 150 nm depending on the π–π interactions between neighboring Pb‐connected pseudo‐double‐decker building blocks. This revealed the effect of the molecular structure (conformation) associated with metal–ligand (Pb? N_isoindole, Pb? N_aza, and Pb? O_butyloxy) coordination on the dimensions of the nanostructures. In the presence of Na⁺, additional metal–ligand (Na? N_aza and Na? O_butyloxy) coordination bonds formed between sodium atoms and aza‐nitrogen atoms and the neighboring butyloxy oxygen atoms of two metal‐free phthalocyanine molecules cooperate with the intrinsic intermolecular π–π interactions, thereby resulting in an Na‐connected pseudo‐double‐decker building block with a twisted structure for the phthalocyanine ligand, which self‐assembles into twisted nanoribbons with an average width of approximately 50 nm depending on the intertetrapyrrole π–π interaction. This is evidenced by the X‐ray diffraction analysis results for the resulting aggregates. Twisted nanoribbons with an average width of approximately 100 nm were also formed from the lead coordination compound 2 in the presence of Na⁺ with a Pb‐connected pseudo‐double‐decker as the building block due to the formation of metal–ligand (Na? N_aza and Na? O_butyloxy) coordination bonds between additionally introduced sodium ions and two phthalocyanine ligands of neighboring pseudo‐double‐decker building blocks.     

4′‐[2‐(2‐Ethoxyethoxy)ethoxy]biphenyl‐4‐carboxylic acid: correlation between its crystalline and smectic phases

The crystal structure of the dimeric title compound, C₁₉H₂₂O₅, is dominated by a head‐to‐head hydrogen‐bonding interaction between centrosymmetrically related carboxyl groups in each monomer. The result is a dimeric axis of unusual length (ca 34 Å), but still shorter than what could be expected for a fully extended chain, owing to two turning points in the oligoethoxy ends. This allows for an explanation of the structure of the smectic mesophase exhibited by this compound and at the same time fully validates former geometric estimations based on PM3 calculations.     

Bis(2‐but­yl‐N,N′‐diisopropyl­amidinato)dichloro­hafnium(IV)

The title compound, [Hf(C₁₁H₂₃N₂)₂Cl₂], is a monomeric hafnium(IV) complex containing two bidentate amidinate ligands and two cis Cl atoms. The crystals are triclinic (space group ) and there is one independent six‐coordinate monomer with a highly distorted octa­hedral geometry in the asymmetric unit. The reported structure is the first hafnium–amidinate complex to be characterized successfully by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction.