Structure of the Lowest Temperature Phase of the Solid Benzene–Hexafluorobenzene Adduct

Abstract

Similarities with a number of liquid-crystal systems are revealed by the structural characterization of the low-temperature phases II—IV of the solid adduct from benzene and hexafluorobenzene (right). As the temperature is raised, increased rotation leads to a reduction in the interactions between neighboring columns of alternating C6H6 and C6F6 molecules. These results could only be obtained by using a combination of powder diffraction techniques with neutrons and synchrotron radiation.