Inclusion Compounds of Hexakis(4-cyanophenyl)benzene: Open Networks Maintained by C−H···N Interactions

Hexakis(4-cyanophenyl)benzene (1) was crystallized from various solvents, and the structures were determined by X-ray crystallography. In all cases studied, inclusion compounds were obtained, and crystallization yielded networks held together primarily by C−H···N interactions. However, the resulting structures were diverse and depended strongly on the solvent used for crystallization. In certain cases, remarkably large fractions of the volumes of the crystals (up to 58%) are accessible to guests. The diversity of the structures obtained underscores the limitations of using C−H···N interactions in crystal engineering.