Steric Inhibition of Molecular Weaving: Non-Woven Nets of R⁶₆(40) and R⁶₆(60) Rings in 1,1,3-Tris(2-methyl-4-hydroxy-5-tert-butylphenyl)butane–Hexamethylenetetramine (1/1)

In the 1:1 adduct formed by 1,1,3-tris(2-methyl-4-hydroxy-5-tert-butylphenyl)butane and hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA; alternative name: 1,3,5,7-tetraazatricyclo­[3.3.1.1^3,7]decane), C₃₇H₅₂O₃.C₆H₁₂N₄, the trisphenol [alternative name: 4,4′,4′′-(butane-1,1,3-triyl)tris­(2-tert-butyl-5-methylphenol)] acts as a triple donor and a single acceptor of hydrogen bonds, while the HMTA acts as a double acceptor. The trisphenol and HMTA units are linked into (16) chains along [101] by means of O—H...N hydrogen bonds, with O...N distances of 2.759 (4) and 2.828 (4) Å: the tris-phenol units are themselves linked into C(14) chains along [010] by O—H...O hydrogen bonds, each having an O...O distance of 2.828 (4) Å. These two types of chain intersect to generate two-dimensional nets built from alternating R⁶₆(40) and R⁶₆(60) rings: despite the size of these rings, interweaving of the nets is prevented by the presence of the tert-butyl groups in the tris-phenol.

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