Assembly of brick-like aromatic edge–face (EF)6 host dimers into lattice inclusion compounds

Abstract

7,15-Dibromo-8,16-diphenyl-6,7,14,15-tetrahydro-6,14-methanocycloocta[1,2-b : 5,6-b′]diquinoline 4 has been synthesised and found to form lattice inclusion compounds with a wide range of guests. The host molecules associate into centrosymmetric brick-like dimers by means of multiple aromatic edge–face (EF) interactions. These (EF)₆ units then pack as layers with the guests occupying inter-brick spaces. Differences in tilt and/or translation of the dimers, along with changes in host–guest association, permit accommodation of guest molecules with differing sizes and shapes. The X-ray structures of the 1 : 1 compounds of 4 with chloroform and p-xylene are contrasted.