Direction-dependent secondary bonds and their stepwise melting in a uracil-based molecular crystal studied by infrared spectroscopy and theoretical modeling

Zsolt Szekrényes, Péter Nagy, György Tarczay, Laura Maggini, Davide Bonifazi, Katalin Kamarás
Chem. Phys. Lett.2018, 691, 163-168
DOI: 10.1016/j.cplett.2017.11.006

Abstract

Three types of supramolecular interactions are identified in the three crystallographic directions in crystals of 1,4-bis[(1-hexylurac-6-yl) ethynyl]benzene, a uracil-based molecule with a linear backbone. These three interactions, characterized by their strongest component, are: intermolecular double H-bonds along the molecular axis, London dispersion interaction of hexyl chains connecting these linear assemblies, and – stacking of the aromatic rings perpendicular to the molecular planes. On heating, two transitions happen, disordering of hexyl chains at 473 K, followed by H-bond melting at 534 K. The nature of the bonds and transitions was established by matrix-isolation and temperature-dependent infrared spectroscopy and supported by theoretical computations.

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