6533b82dfe1ef96bd129091b

RESEARCH PRODUCT

Chemistry of density : extension and structural origin of Carnelley's rule in chloroethanes

Marcin PodsiadłoMaciej BujakAndrzej Katrusiak

subject

Steric effectsChemistryIntermolecular forceGeneral ChemistryCondensed Matter PhysicsPoint groupLocantsymbols.namesakeComputational chemistryChemical physicsPhase (matter)Molecular symmetrysymbolsMoleculeGeneral Materials ScienceVan der Waals radius

description

Low-density liquids and solids, with all intermolecular contacts longer than the sum of van der Waals radii, are formed by all ethanes chlorinated at one locant: CH2ClCH3, CHCl2CH3 and CCl3CH3. The concepts of molecular symmetry described by Carnelley and that of point groups have been compared. Carnelley's rule, when applied to liquid and solid chloroethanes clearly reveals the density dependence on the presence of intermolecular Cl⋯Cl and H⋯Cl short contacts, or their absence due to steric hindrances of overcrowded substituents. At 2.62 GPa, CH2ClCH3 freezes directly into phase II, with molecules arranged into layers with short Cl⋯Cl, H⋯Cl and H⋯H contacts. Only for CH2ClCH3, both the low-density phase at low temperature and closely-packed phase above 2.62 GPa have been observed.

10.1039/c2ce25097ghttps://doi.org/10.1039/c2ce25097g