Tetrameric aggregate of 1,c-3-diphenyltetran-r-1-ol via an R4(4)8 homodromic ring.

The compound 1,c-3-diphenyltetran-r-1-ol (systematic name: 1,c-3-diphenyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydro-r-1-naphthol), C(22)H(20)O, which possesses the tetrahydronaphthalene core that is found in a large number of natural products, crystallizes with Z' = 4 and with the four molecules forming a hydrogen-bonded cyclic aggregate. The aliphatic six-membered rings are present with two different conformations in the molecules of the asymmetric unit. A comparison with similar fragments reveals their conformational flexibility. In addition, the structure demonstrates the relative stereochemistries of the chiral centers, which are important since the title compound is used in the stereoselective synthesis of compounds with therapeutic activity.