1,17‐Hepta­decane­diol

In the title compound, C₁₇H₃₆O₂, one of the hydroxyl groups has a gauche conformation with respect to the hydro­carbon skeleton, which is all‐trans, whereas the other has a trans conformation. The molecular shape is rod‐like and the compound has a rotator phase in which mol­ecules are assured greater motional freedom, as in liquid crystals. In addition, the mol­ecules arranged along the longest axis, b, form layers which are very similar to those of the smectic A liquid crystals.