Issue 21, 2022

Co-crystals of tetrachloroauric acid and 1,3,5-(methylacetamide)benzene-based tectons: consistent trapping of high energy molecular conformation

Abstract

Co-crystal engineering is a promising method to create new classes of advanced materials. Co-crystal structure prediction is more challenging when one or more of the lattice constituents (tectons) are flexible molecules. This study reports four co-crystals that were prepared by mixing HAuCl4 or HAuBr4 with C3-symmetric tectons based on a 1,3,5-(methylacetamide)benzene scaffold. X-ray analysis of the co-crystals revealed the presence of three dominant supramolecular interactions; (a) hydrogen bonding between tecton amide NH residues and the AuX4 anion, (b) electrostatic stacking of the Au center against the tecton's π-electrons, (c) very short hydrogen bonds within a proton-bridged-carbonyls motif. Within all four co-crystals, the sterically-geared tecton was trapped in a high energy molecular conformation, which increased the number of favorable intermolecular interactions in the lattice. We infer from the results that the likelihood of high energy molecular conformations within a co-crystal increases if there are multiple dominant intermolecular interactions. Application of this generalizable rule should lead to improved crystal structure prediction.

Graphical abstract: Co-crystals of tetrachloroauric acid and 1,3,5-(methylacetamide)benzene-based tectons: consistent trapping of high energy molecular conformation

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
01 Apr 2022
Accepted
29 Apr 2022
First published
29 Apr 2022

CrystEngComm, 2022,24, 3879-3885

Author version available

Co-crystals of tetrachloroauric acid and 1,3,5-(methylacetamide)benzene-based tectons: consistent trapping of high energy molecular conformation

C. C. Shaffer, A. G. Oliver and B. D. Smith, CrystEngComm, 2022, 24, 3879 DOI: 10.1039/D2CE00463A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements