Crystal and molecular structure of Z- and E-1,2-dichloro-1,2-bis(2-chlorophenyl)ethylene. An X-ray and NMR study
The crystal structures of the title compounds were determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. The molecule of the Z isomer, which crystallizes in the monoclinic space group C2/c with Z = 4 in a cell of dimensions a = 14.891 (2), b = 10.780(2), c = 8.769(1) Å, β = 97.47(2)°, V = 1395.7(7) Å3 has crystallographic twofold symmetry. The E form crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pbca with a = 11.730(1), b = 6.932(1), c = 16.841(1) Å, V = 1369.4(2) Å3 and Z = 4. Its molecules have crystallographically dictated [Formula: see text] symmetry. In both isomers the phenyl rings are roughly perpendicular to the average ethylene plane. The atoms characterizing this plane show significant deviations from planarity in the Z isomer. Marked bond-angle distortions at the ethene carbons of both structures are observed. The 1H and 13C NMR spectra of the compounds were measured and, particularly in the case of the 1H chemical shifts, fall into two quite separate spectral regions. At low temperature, two conformational isomers, those with different relative orientation of the C—Cl bonds of the phenyl rings, are observed in the spectrum of each compound. Keywords: chlorostilbenes, overcrowded molecules. X-ray structure, conformations, NMR spectroscopy.