HYDROGEN-BONDING PATTERNS IN A CENTROSYMMETRIC STRUCTURE WITH Z'=2 - ,ALPHA',ALPHA''-TRIMETHYL-1,3,5-BENZENETRIMETHANOL

The title molecule, C12H18O3, crystallized in the centrosymmetric spac e group P2(1)/c with two molecules in the asymmetric unit, Each molecu le donates three, and accepts three, hydrogen bonds. The O-d... O-a di stances in these bonds range from 2.687 (3) to 2.787 (2) Angstrom. The hydroxyl H atoms are ordered. A three-dimensional network of hydrogen -bond chains is formed which is 'decorated' with sets of cyclic hydrog en bonds and numerous finite hydrogen-bond patterns. This structure sh ows both similarities and differences with respect to the structures o f the related molecules benzene-1,3,5-triacetic acid and benzene-1,3,5 -trimethanol.