The influence of the trimethylsilyl group: helical self-assembly of syn-7-trimethylsilyl-5-norbornene-endo-2,3-dicarboxylic acid

Abstract

syn-7-Trimethylsilyl-5-norbornene-endo-2,3-dicarboxylic acid (NDA), a 1,2–cis–dicarboxylic acid, is found to undergo helical self-assembly via the dimer motif of the carboxylic acid group. The X-ray crystal structure analysis points to the role of the trimethylsilyl group. The propensity of this group to self-aggregate is found to result in the modification of the zigzag pattern observed with several of the closely related norbornene-1,2-diacids. Furthermore, the trimethylsilyl group is found to effect the crystallization of the diacid in an acentric space group.