Crystal engineering in the gem-alkynol family: interplay between strong and weak interactions in structures of 2,3,5,6-tetrahalo

Structures of the title compounds are all mediated by strong cooperative arrangements of O-H.O hydrogen bonds, supported by a variety of weaker interactions which affect the type of O-H.O synthon that is formed. The tetrafluoro compound contains hexameric O-H.O synthons in a supramolecular chair conformation, together with C identical withC-H.F interactions. However, the tetrachloro and tetrabromo compounds both form tetrameric O-H.O synthons. This dominant pattern is supported by halogen.halogen interactions having one C-Cl[Br].Cl[Br] angle close to 180 degrees and the other close to 90 degrees, and by C identical withC-H.Cl[Br] interactions.

Crystal engineering in the gem-alkynol family; synthon repetitivity and topological similarity in diphenylethynylmethanols: structures that lack O-H.O hydrogen bonds

The structures of four para-substituted derivatives of diphenylethynylmethanol have been determined [ditolylethynylmethanol, di(4-chlorophenyl)ethynylmethanol, di(4-bromophenyl)ethynylmethanol and bis(4,4'-biphenylyl)ethynylmethanol]. The dimethyl, dichloro, dibromo and diphenyl compounds have been analysed using X-ray diffraction at 150 K, and the dichloro compound has also been studied using neutron diffraction at 150 K. In common with the parent diphenylethynylmethanol [Garcia, Ramos, Rodriguez & Fronczek (1995). Acta Cryst. C51, 2674-2676], all four derivatives fail to form the expected strong O-H.O hydrogen bonds due to steric hindrance. Instead, the supramolecular structural organization in this family of gem-alkynols is mediated by a variety of weaker interactions. The two most acidic protons, O-H and C[triple-bond]C-H, participate in weak hydrogen bonds to pi-acceptors, forming synthons that stabilize all five structures. These primary interactions are reinforced by a variety of other weak hydrogen bonds involving C-H donors and the hydroxy-O as an acceptor, and by halogen.halogen interactions in the dichloro and dibromo compounds.

Halogen trimer synthons in crystal engineering: low-temperature X-ray and neutron diffraction study of the 1:1 complex of 2,4, 6-tris(4-chlorophenoxy)-1,3,5-triazine with tribromobenzene

The title complex has been studied using low-temperature X-ray (150 K) and neutron (100 K) diffraction. Molecules of the triazine host form a two-dimensional hexagonal network mediated by trigonally symmetric Cl(3) synthons having Cl.Cl interactions of 3.441 (3) A, a C-Cl.Cl angle of 165 degrees and a Cl.Cl-C angle of 105 degrees, close to the ideal values of 180 and 90 degrees, respectively. The guest molecules are of an appropriate size to fit the hexagonal networks and interact with the host via C-H.pi (phenyl) and C-Br.pi (phenyl) interactions which stabilize the overall structure. Both C-donor bond vectors are directed more closely towards the mid-point (X) of an individual aromatic bond, rather than the ring centroid, with H.X 2.817 (9) A and C-H.X 174.0 (9) degrees, and Br.X 3.353 (4) A and C-Br.X 158.1 (2) degrees.

Structure correlation study of four-coordinate copper(I) and (II) complexes

The geometries of four-coordinate CuI and CuII complexes in the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) have been analysed systematically and compared using symmetry-deformation coordinates and principal component analysis. The observed stereochemistries have been rationalized in terms of the d-electron configurations, interligand repulsion and pi-bonding effects. The results confirm that the majority of four-coordinate copper(I) complexes in the CSD adopt tetrahedral geometries and deviations from tetrahedral symmetry are caused by the presence of chelating ligands or by the incorporation of copper centres into dimeric or polymeric structures. Four-coordinate copper(II) complexes generally adopt geometries close to square planar; this is particularly evident for bis(chelate) complexes where pi-bonding is important. Distortions towards tetrahedral geometries are attributable to steric interactions of bulky substituents in the bidentate ligands.

The assignment and validation of metal oxidation states in the Cambridge Structural Database

A methodology has been developed for the semi-automatic assignment and checking of formal oxidation states for metal atoms in the majority of metallo-organic complexes stored in the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD). The method uses both chemical connectivity and bond-length data, via ligand donor group templates and bond-valence sums, respectively. In order to use bond-length data, the CSD program QUEST has been modified to allow the coordination sphere of metal atoms to be recalculated using user-defined criteria at search time. The new methodology has been used successfully to validate the +1, +2 and +3 oxidation states in 743 four-coordinate copper complexes in the CSD for which atomic coordinates are available in ca 99% of structures using one or other method, and both succeed for >86% of structures.

Automated assignment of graph-set descriptors for crystallographically symmetric molecules

Algorithms for the automatic assignment of graph-set notation for intermolecular networks have been extended to molecules having internal crystallographic symmetry, for patterns up to the second level. This provides a means of achieving systematic and consistent assignments for networks containing symmetric molecules. These methodologies have been implemented in the program RPLUTO. Examples are given of the application of the method to a number of molecules with hydrogen-bonded and other intermolecular networks, illustrating the diversity of the patterns that occur.

Visualization and characterization of non-covalent networks in molecular crystals: automated assignment of graph-set descriptors for asymmetric molecules.

A method of visualizing intermolecular networks (for example, hydrogen-bonded networks) in the crystalline state has been developed, based on the concept of link atoms, i.e. those atoms deemed to be in contact with each unique molecule or ion in the crystal chemical unit (CCU). Extension of a structure using each of these primary links can be achieved, enabling the generation and investigation of extended networks. Algorithms have been developed for the automatic assignment of graph-set notation for patterns up to second level, i.e. those involving one or two crystallographically independent non-covalent bonds, in the absence of internal crystallographic symmetry in the unique molecules of the CCU. The self, ring, chain and discrete motifs may be displayed by highlighting the atoms and bonds comprising the pattern. These methodologies have been implemented in the Cambridge Structural Database program PLUTO.