Novel structural determination of a bilayer network formed by a tripodal lipophilic amide in the presence of anions

Abstract

The crystal structure of a protonated tripodal lipophilic amide, N-{2-[bis(2-octanoylaminoethyl)amino]ethyl}octanamide, identified an elegantly architected bilayer hydrogen bonded structure consisting of ladder-like cascades of the amide, with the rungs comprised of the lipophilic tails pointing inward and the poles made up of polar quaternary ammonium heads lining channels filled with nitrate ions.