The Precarious Equilibrium between Different Types of Weak Hydrogen Bonds in Methoxy-Substituted Distyrylbenzenes: The Hybrid Network in E,E-1,4-Bis[2-(2,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-2,3,5,6-tetramethoxybenzene

Abstract

E,E-1,4-Bis[2-(2,4,6-trimethoxyphenyl)ethenyl]-2,3,5,6-tetramethoxybenzene, C32H38O10, forms a packing that consists of an intricate network of both CH···n(O) hydrogen bonds and −OCH3−π interactions. The packing schemes of all known methoxy-substituted distyrylbenzenes are compared and explained on the basis of the observations made on the title compound. In general, intramolecular CH···n(O) contacts are greatly preferred over intermolecular ones. Intermolecular CH···n(O) contacts are more common than intermolecular −OCH3−π interactions. The latter are adopted only when the number of free methoxy groups, not involved in intramolecular CH···n(O) contacts, is small enough.