Water-Mediated Multicenter Synthon and Aromatic C−H → N Isostructurality

A strong, cooperative O−H···O hydrogen bond network directs isostructurality in pyrazine tetracarboxylic acid, pyridine tetracarboxylic acid, and pyromellitic acid dihydrates. H2O and COOH groups reorganize their H bonding groups in an invariant network leading to Ow−H···N ⇔ C−H···Ow mimicry. The degree of similarity is related to the size of the multicenter synthon and the strength of the Oacid−H···Owater hydrogen bond.