Ethyl (2E)-2-cyano-3-(4-meth-oxy-phen-yl)acrylate

Area of Science:

• Crystallography
• Organic Chemistry
• Supramolecular Chemistry

Background:

• Understanding molecular conformation and intermolecular interactions is crucial in crystal engineering.
• The C13H13NO3 compound's specific structural features warrant detailed investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To elucidate the crystal structure of the title compound, C13H13NO3.
• To analyze the conformational preferences and intermolecular interactions governing its solid-state arrangement.

Main Methods:

• Single-crystal X-ray diffraction was employed to determine the molecular and crystal structure.
• Analysis of torsion angles, hydrogen bonding (C-H⋯O), and pi-stacking (C-H⋯π, π⋯π) interactions was performed.

Main Results:

• The compound exhibits a synperiplanar conformation across the C=C bond with a torsion angle of 3.2°.
• Inversion dimers linked by C-H⋯O interactions form zigzag patterns.
• Further zigzag arrangements along the c-axis involve C-H⋯π interactions, alongside observed π⋯π interactions with a centroid-centroid separation of 3.9986 Å.

Conclusions:

• The crystal packing of C13H13NO3 is dictated by a combination of hydrogen bonding and π-π interactions.
• The observed zigzag motifs highlight specific supramolecular assembly strategies in organic crystals.