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1. Crystal engineering of a 1:1 5-fluorocytosine–4-hydroxybenzaldehyde cocrystal: insights from X-ray crystallography and Hirshfeld analysis

   https://doi.org/10.1107/S2056989025004463  

   Sangavi, Marimuthu; Mohana, Marimuthu; Butcher, Ray J; McMillen, Colin D (June 2025, Acta Crystallographica Section E Crystallographic Communications)

   The 1:1 cocrystal of 5-fluorocytosine (5FC) and 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (4HB), C₄H₄FN₃O·C₇H₆O₂has been synthesized and its structure characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and Hirshfeld surface analysis. The compound crystallizes in the monoclinicP2₁/cspace group. A robust supramolecular architecture is stabilized by N—H...O, N—H...N, C—H...O and C—H...F hydrogen bonds, formingR₂²(8),R₄⁴(22),R₆⁶(32), andR₈⁸(34) ring motifs. The N—H...O and N—H...N hydrogen bonds form strong directional interactions, contributing to theR₂²(8) andR₈⁸(34) motifs through dimeric and extended ring structures. O—H...O interactions link 5FC and 4HB molecules, generating anR₆⁶(32) ring that enhances the packing. Weaker C—H...F bonds help form theR₄⁴(22) tetrameric motif, supporting the overall three-dimensional supramolecular framework. Additionally, C—F...π interactions between the fluorine atom and the aromatic ring add further to the crystal cohesion. Hirshfeld surface analysis and two-dimensional fingerprint plots confirm that O...H/H...O contacts are the most significant, highlighting the central role of hydrogen bonding in the stability and organization of the crystal structure. 

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2. On the formation of complex organic molecules in the interstellar medium: untangling the chemical complexity of carbon monoxide–hydrocarbon containing ice analogues exposed to ionizing radiation via a combined infrared and reflectron time-of-flight analysis

   https://doi.org/10.1039/C9CP01793C  

   Abplanalp, Matthew J.; Kaiser, Ralf I. (August 2019, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics)

   Recently, over 200 molecules have been detected in the interstellar medium (ISM), with about one third being complex organic molecules (COMs), molecules containing six or more atoms. Over the last few decades, astrophysical laboratory experiments have shown that several COMs are formed via interaction of ionizing radiation within ices deposited on interstellar dust particles at 10 K (H 2 O, CH 3 OH, CO, CO 2 , CH 4 , NH 3 ). However, there is still a lack of understanding of the chemical complexity that is available through individual ice constituents. The present research investigates experimentally the synthesis of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen bearing COMs from interstellar ice analogues containing carbon monoxide (CO) and methane (CH 4 ), ethane (C 2 H 6 ), ethylene (C 2 H 4 ), or acetylene (C 2 H 2 ) exposed to ionizing radiation. Utilizing online and in situ techniques, such as infrared spectroscopy and tunable photoionization reflectron time-of-flight mass spectrometry (PI-ReTOF-MS), specific isomers produced could be characterized. A total of 12 chemically different groups were detected corresponding to C 2 H n O ( n = 2, 4, 6), C 3 H n O ( n = 2, 4, 6, 8), C 4 H n O ( n = 4, 6, 8, 10), C 5 H n O ( n = 4, 6, 8, 10), C 6 H n O ( n = 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14), C 2 H n O 2 ( n = 2, 4), C 3 H n O 2 ( n = 4, 6, 8), C 4 H n O 2 ( n = 4, 6, 8, 10), C 5 H n O 2 ( n = 6, 8), C 6 H n O 2 ( n = 8, 10, 12), C 4 H n O 3 ( n = 4, 6, 8), and C 5 H n O 3 ( n = 6, 8). More than half of these isomer specifically identified molecules have been identified in the ISM, and the remaining COMs detected here can be utilized to guide future astronomical observations. Of these isomers, three groups – alcohols, aldehydes, and molecules containing two of these functional groups – displayed varying degrees of unsaturation. Also, the detection of 1-propanol, 2-propanol, 1-butanal, and 2-methyl-propanal has significant implications as the propyl and isopropyl moieties (C 3 H 7 ), which have already been detected in the ISM via propyl cyanide and isopropyl cyanide, could be detected in our laboratory studies. General reaction mechanisms for their formation are also proposed, with distinct follow-up studies being imperative to elucidate the complexity of COMs synthesized in these ices. 

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3. New germanate and mixed cobalt germanate salt inclusion materials: [(Rb ₆ F)(Rb ₄ F)][Ge ₁₄ O ₃₂ ] and [(Rb ₆ F)(Rb _3.1 Co _0.9 F _0.96 )][Co _3.8 Ge _10.2 O ₃₀ F ₂ ]

   https://doi.org/10.1039/D0CE01099E  

   Carone, Darren; Usman, Mohammad; Klepov, Vladislav V.; Smith, Mark D.; Kocevski, Vancho; Besmann, Theodore M.; zur Loye, Hans-Conrad (December 2020, CrystEngComm)

   null (Ed.)

   Single crystals of two new germanates, [(Rb 6 F)(Rb 4 F)][Ge 14 O 32 ] and [(Rb 6 F)(Rb 3.1 Co 0.9 F 0.96 )][Co 3.8 Ge 10.2 O 30 F 2 ], were synthesized via high temperature RbCl/RbF flux growth. Both compounds crystallize in the cubic space group F 4̄3 m and possess the germanium framework of the previously reported salt inclusion material (SIM), [(Cs 6 F)(Cs 3 AgF)][Ge 14 O 32 ], related to the Ge 7 O 16 zeolitic family. These materials demonstrate the ability to accommodate a variety of salt-inclusions, and exhibit chemical flexibility enabling modifications of the framework through incorporation of Co. Alteration of the salt-inclusion led to intrinsic luminescence of [(Rb 6 F)(Rb 4 F)][Ge 14 O 32 ] while modification of the framework resulted in an unanticipated Rb/Co salt/inclusion in [(Rb 6 F)(Rb 3.1 Co 0.9 F 0.96 )][Co 3.8 Ge 10.2 O 30 F 2 ]. Fluorescence measurements were performed on [(Rb 6 F)(Rb 4 F)][Ge 14 O 32 ]. First-principles calculations in the form of density functional theory (DFT) were performed for [(Rb 6 F)(Rb 3.1 Co 0.9 F 0.96 )][Co 3.8 Ge 10.2 O 30 F 2 ] to elucidate its electronic and magnetic properties, and stability at 0 K. 

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4. The reaction of thiourea and 1,3-dimethylthiourea towards organoiodines: oxidative bond formation and halogen bonding

   https://doi.org/10.1107/S205322962100869X  

   Peloquin, Andrew J.; Ragusa, Arianna C.; McMillen, Colin D.; Pennington, William T. (October 2021, Acta Crystallographica Section C Structural Chemistry)

   By varying the halogen-bond-donor molecule, 11 new halogen-bonding cocrystals involving thiourea or 1,3-dimethylthiourea were obtained, namely, 1,3-dimethylthiourea–1,2-diiodo-3,4,5,6-tetrafluorobenzene (1/1), C 6 F 4 I 2 ·C 3 H 8 N 2 S, 1 , thiourea–1,3-diiodo-2,4,5,6-tetrafluorobenzene (1/1), C 6 F 4 I 2 ·CH 4 N 2 S, 2 , 1,3-dimethylthiourea–1,3-diiodo-2,4,5,6-tetrafluorobenzene (1/1), C 6 F 4 I 2 ·C 3 H 8 N 2 S, 3 , 1,3-dimethylthiourea–1,3-diiodo-2,4,5,6-tetrafluorobenzene–methanol (1/1/1), C 6 F 4 I 2 ·C 3 H 8 N 2 S·CH 4 O, 4 , 1,3-dimethylthiourea–1,3-diiodo-2,4,5,6-tetrafluorobenzene–ethanol (1/1/1), C 6 F 4 I 2 ·C 3 H 8 N 2 S·C 2 H 6 O, 5 , 1,3-dimethylthiourea–1,4-diiodo-2,3,5,6-tetrafluorobenzene (1/1), C 6 F 4 I 2 ·C 3 H 8 N 2 S, 6 , 1,3-dimethylthiourea–1,3,5-trifluoro-2,4,6-triiodobenzene (1/1), C 6 F 3 I 3 ·C 3 H 8 N 2 S, 7 , 1,3-dimethylthiourea–1,1,2,2-tetraiodoethene (1/1), C 6 H 16 N 4 S 2 ·C 2 I 4 , 8 , [(dimethylamino)methylidene](1,2,2-triiodoethenyl)sulfonium iodide–1,1,2,2-tetraiodoethene–acetone (1/1/1), C 5 H 8 I 3 N 2 S + ·I − ·C 3 H 6 O·C 2 I 4 , 9 , 2-amino-4-methyl-1,3-thiazol-3-ium iodide–1,1,2,2-tetraiodoethene (2/3), 2C 4 H 7 N 2 S + ·2I − ·3C 2 I 4 , 10 , and 4,4-dimethyl-4 H -1,3,5-thiadiazine-3,5-diium diiodide–1,1,2,2-tetraiodoethene (2/3), 2C 5 H 12 N 4 S 2+ ·4I − ·3C 2 I 4 , 11 . When utilizing the common halogen-bond-donor molecules 1,2-, 1,3-, and 1,4-diiodotetrafluorobenzene, as well as 1,3,5-trifluoro-2,4,6-triiodobenzene, bifurcated I...S...I interactions were observed, resulting in the formation of isolated rings, chains, and sheets. Tetraiodoethylene (TIE) provided I...S...I cocrystals as well, but further yielded a sulfonium-containing product through the reaction of the S atom with TIE. This particular sulfonium motif is the first of its kind to be structurally characterized, and is stabilized in the solid state through a three-dimensional I...I halogen-bonding network. Thiourea reacted with acetone in the presence of TIE to provide two novel heterocyclic products, again stabilized in the solid state through I...I halogen bonding. 

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5. Some thioether-ketones and their related derivatives

   https://doi.org/10.1107/S2056989025004037  

   O'Connor, Molly A; Pavlishchuk, Anna V; Butcher, Raymond J; Pavlishchuk, Vitaly V; Addison, Anthony W (June 2025, Acta Crystallographica Section E Crystallographic Communications)

   Structural characteristics are reported for two thioether–ketones,DtdpeandMtdp[2-({2-[(2-oxo-2-phenylethyl)sulfanyl]ethyl}sulfanyl)-1-phenylethan-1-one, C₁₈H₁₈O₂S₂, and 2-[(2-oxo-2-phenylethyl)sulfanyl]-1-phenylethan-1-one, C₁₆H₁₄O₂S], and for related derivatives, the bis(pyridylhydrazones)DhpkandPrpsb[2-((2E)-2-{(2Z)-2-phenyl-2-[2-(pyridin-2-yl)hydrazin-1-ylidene]ethylidene}hydrazin-1-yl)pyridine, C₁₈H₁₆N₆, and 2-[(2Z,12Z)-3,12-diphenyl-14-(pyridin-2-yl)-5,10-dithia-1,2,13,14-tetraazatetradeca-2,12-dien-1-yl]pyridine, C₃₀H₃₂N₆S₂], as well as for the macrocyclic thiocarbohydrazide derivativeCtrsp[(3E,8Z)-3,9-dimethyl-1,11-dithia-4,5,7,8-tetraazacyclotetradeca-3,8-diene-6-thione, C₁₀H₁₈N₄S₃]. Three of the five compounds exhibit conformational enantiomerism in the solid state. The occurrence of intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonding is commented upon through quantum mechanical (DFT) calculations. Weak C—H...S interactions are noted, while stronger N—H...N and N—H...S hydrogen bridges are delineated. 

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