Best practice and pitfalls in absolute structure determination

Abstract

In routine small-molecule single crystal structure determination, accurate absolute structure determination has sometimes been challenging. Developments in diffractometers, X-ray sources, detectors and software, along with new concepts for the elucidation of the absolute structure have seen the greatest advances in recent times. Nonetheless, determining the absolute structure of a crystal, particularly when only light atoms are present, requires some thought in the planning of the experiment in order to obtain the best possible data and some care in modelling the structure and interpreting the results so as not to draw incorrect or unsupported conclusions. Some practical recommendations for best practice and how to avoid pitfalls and misinterpretations are presented as a guide, particularly for those new to the field of crystal structure analysis.