(IUCr) Crystallography Journals Online

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Acta Cryst. (2004). E60, o2434-o2437 [ doi:10.1107/S1600536804029939 ]

Conformational chirality of chemically symmetric molecules and a superlattice through enantioselective self-assembly: 1,1,1-tris[(4-cyanophenoxy)methyl]ethane

W. Xu, Z.-G. Zou, P. Guo and Y.-X. Lu

Abstract: The title compound, C₂₆H₂₁N₃O₃, is a chemically symmetrical molecule with one methyl group and three (4-cyanophenoxy)methyl groups bonded to a tetracoordinate C atom. It crystallizes in the centrosymmetric space group P $\overline 1$ . In the crystal structure, there are many non-covalent interactions, including ON short contacts and antiparallel dipole-dipole interactions. The tetracoordinate C atom of the molecule exhibits central chirality, while the three attached groups exhibit different axial chirality. The enantiomers form homochiral monolayers through enantioselective self-assembly, and the monolayers are packed in the formation of a superlattice based on alternating the two enantiomeric states. The physical image of molecular chirality as well as the concept of a superlattice with respect to chirality may provide a new insight into such a racemic crystal, which is very common in crystallography.

Online 27 November 2004