Supramolecular assemblies of tetrafluoroterephthalic acid and N-heterocycles via various strong hydrogen bonds and weak CH⋯F interactions: Synthons cooperation, robust motifs and structural diversity

New Co-Crystals/Salts of Gallic Acid and Substituted Pyridines: An Effect of Ortho-Substituents on the Formation of an Acid–Pyridine Heterosynthon

Co-crystallization of gallic acid with pyridines and their polyaromatic analogue, quinoline, ortho-substituted by various proton-donating groups able to form hydrogen bonds, produced the only reported co-crystal of gallic acid with an ortho-substituted pyridine, 2-hydroxypyridine, as its preferred pyridone-2 tautomer, and four new crystalline products of gallic acid. These co-crystals, or gallate salts depending on the choice of the pyridine-containing compound, as predicted by the pKa rule, were identified by X-ray diffraction to feature the popular acid–pyridine heterosynthon found in most of the two-component systems of gallic acid that lack ortho-substituents in the pyridine-containing compound. This single-point heterosynthon is, however, modified by one or two proton-donating ortho-substituents, which sometimes may transform into the proton acceptors in an adopted tautomer or zwitterion, to produce its two- or other multi-point variants, including a very rare four-point heterosynthon. The hydrogen bonds they form with the gallic acid species in the appropriate co-crystals/salts strongly favors the formation of the acid–pyridine heterosynthon over the acid–acid homosynthon. In the competitive conditions of multi-component systems, such a modification might be used to reduce supramolecular-synthon-based polymorphism to produce new pharmaceuticals and other crystalline materials with designed properties.

Co-Crystal with Unusual High Z′ and Z′′ Values Derived from Hexamethylenetetramine and 4-fluorophenol (1/1)

The title co-crystal, 1,3,5,7-tetraazatricyclo[3.3.1.13,7]decane (HMTA, 1)–4-fluorophenol (4-FP) (1/1), C6H12N4·C6H5FO, shows an unusual asymmetric unit that comprises eight independent molecules (Z′′ = 8), four for each component, with four formula units per asymmetric unit (Z′ = 4). In the molecular packing, each HMTA molecule bridges one 4-FP molecule via an O−H···N hydrogen bond to form a two-molecule aggregate. Differences can be observed between the bond lengths and angles of the independent HMTA and 4-FP molecules and those of the molecules in the aggregate. The C−N bonds exhibit different bond lengths in the tetrahedral cage-like structure of the HMTA molecules, but the largest differences between the molecular aggregates are in the bond lengths in the 4-fluorophenol ring. In the crystal, the HMTA and 4-FP molecules form two hydrogen-bonded (O−H···N, C−H···F and C−H···O) dimers of HMTA and 4-FP molecules, A···D and B···C inversion dimers, which generate enlarged R88(34) ring motifs in both supramolecular structures. In both structures, the crystal packing also features additional C−H···F and C−H···O interactions. The A···D and B···C dimers are linked by additional C−H···F and C−H···O hydrogen bonds, forming columns along the a and b axes, respectively. The importance of the C−H···F interaction to the structure and crystal packing has been demonstrated.

Two cadmium(II) fluorous coordination compounds tuned by different bipyridines

Fluorine is the most electronegative element and can be used as an excellent hydrogen-bond acceptor. Fluorous coordination compounds exhibit several advantageous properties, such as enhanced high thermal and oxidative stability, low polarity, weak intermolecular interactions and a small surface tension compared to hydrocarbons. C-H...F-C interactions, although weak, play a significant role in regulating the arrangement of the organic molecules in the crystalline state and stabilizing the secondary structure. Two cadmium(II) fluorous coordination compounds formed from 2,2'-bipyridine, 4,4'-bipyridine and pentafluorobenzoate ligands, namely catena-poly[[aqua(2,2'-bipyridine-κ²N,N')(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzoato-κO)cadmium(II)]-μ-2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzoato-κ²O:O'], [Cd(C₇F₅O₂)₂(C₁₀H₈N₂)(H₂O)]_n, (1), and catena-poly[[diaquabis(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzoato-κO)cadmium(II)]-μ-4,4'-bipyridine-κ²N:N'], [Cd(C₇F₅O₂)₂(C₁₀H₈N₂)(H₂O)₂]_n, (2), have been synthesized solvothermally and structurally characterized. Compound (1) shows a one-dimensional chain structure composed of Cd-O coordination bonds and is stabilized by π-π stacking and O-H...O hydrogen-bond interactions. Compound (2) displays a one-dimensional linear chain structure formed by Cd-N coordination interactions involving the 4,4'-bipyridine ligand. Adjacent one-dimensional chains are extended into two-dimensional sheets by O-H...O hydrogen bonds between the coordinated water molecules and adjacent carboxylate groups. Moreover, the chains are further linked by C-H...F-C interactions to afford a three-dimensional network. In both structures, hydrogen bonding involving the coordinated water molecules is a primary driving force in the formation of the supramolecular structures.

Insights into the spontaneity of hydrogen bond formation between formic acid and phthalimide derivatives

We evaluated a group of phthalimide derivatives, which comprise a convenient test set for the study of the multiple factors involved in the energetics of hydrogen bond formation. Accordingly, we carried out quantum chemical calculations on the hydrogen bonded complexes formed between a sample of phthalimide derivatives with formic acid with the intent of identifying the most important electronic and structural factors related to how their strength and spontaneity vary across the series. The geometries of all species considered were fully optimized at DFT B3LYP/6-31++G(d,p), RM1, RM1-DH2, and RM1-D3H4 level, followed by frequency calculations to determine their Gibbs free energies of hydrogen bond formation using Gaussian 2009 and MOPAC 2012. Our results indicate that the phthalimide derivatives that form hydrogen bond complexes most favorably, have in their structures only one C=O group and at least one NH group. On the other hand, the phthalimide derivatives predicted to form hydrogen bonds least favorably, possess in their structures two carbonyl groups, C=O, and no NH group. The ability to donate electrons and simultaneously receive one acidic hydrogen is the most important property related to the spontaneity of hydrogen bond formation. We further chose two cyclic compounds, phthalimide and isoindolin-1-one, in which to study the main changes in molecular, structural and spectroscopic properties as related to the formation of hydrogen bonds. Thus, the greatest ability of the isoindolin-1-one compound in forming hydrogen bonds is evidenced by the larger effect on the structural, vibrational, and chemical shifts properties associated with the O-H group. In summary, the electron-donating ability of the hydrogen bond acceptor emerged as the most important property differentiating the spontaneity of hydrogen bond formation in this group of complexes.