Synthesis and solid state structure for a series of poly(1-pyrrolylmethyl)benzene derivatives. Control of the interplaying π–π and C–H⋯π interactions?

The syntheses of new hexa- and 1,2,4,5-tetra-1-pyrrolylmethyl-benzene (1 and 2, respectively) compounds and their crystal structures, along with those for the related disubstituted o-, m- and p-di-1-pyrrolylmethyl-benzene (3–5) derivatives are reported. The arrangements of molecules in the 1-D structure for 2–5 are controlled by the interplay of two different weak interactions: π–π and C–H⋯π (Ph) interactions. The absence of such interactions in the packing of 1 seems to be related to the arrangement of the pyrrolylmethyl arms with respect to the benzene core, which prevents the π cloud of the aromatic ring to be part of any intermolecular interaction. In addition, C–H⋯π (pyrrolyl) interact…