4-(Hydroxy-meth-yl)phenol.

Area of Science:

• Crystallography
• Molecular structure analysis
• Supramolecular chemistry

Background:

• Understanding the precise arrangement of atoms in organic molecules is crucial for predicting their properties and reactivity.
• Crystal structure analysis provides detailed insights into intermolecular forces that govern the assembly of molecules in the solid state.

Purpose of the Study:

• To elucidate the detailed molecular and crystal structure of the title compound, C(7)H(8)O(2).
• To identify and characterize the types of intermolecular interactions present in the crystal lattice.

Main Methods:

• Single-crystal X-ray diffraction was employed to determine the three-dimensional structure of the compound.
• Analysis of atomic coordinates and bond distances/angles to assess planarity and identify specific interactions.

Main Results:

• The phenol oxygen and hydroxy-methyl carbon atoms were found to lie essentially in the plane of the aromatic ring.
• Intermolecular O-H⋯O hydrogen bonds were observed, leading to the formation of a linked molecular network.
• A weak C-H⋯π interaction was also detected within the crystal structure.

Conclusions:

• The crystal packing is significantly influenced by robust intermolecular hydrogen bonding.
• The presence of both hydrogen bonds and C-H⋯π interactions contributes to the overall stability and architecture of the crystal network.