INTRAMOLECULAR INTERACTIONS IN ETHYL BIS-(2,4-DINITROPHENYL)ACETATE

The crystal structure of ethyl bis(2,4-dinitrophenyl)acetate, determin ed by room temperature X-ray diffraction, shows that this crowded mole cule contains two short intramolecular interactions between nitro oxyg en atoms and electron deficient carbon atoms. One mimics an early stag e of the nucleophilic addition to a carbonyl group (O ... C, 2.730 Ang strom), and the other mimics an early stage of a Michael reaction (O . .. C, 2.854 Angstrom). Crystal data: C16H12N4O10, M-r = 420.29, a = 10 .079(1), b = 11.139(1), c = 16.162(1) Angstrom, beta = 91.319(7)degree s, monoclinic, P2(1)/c, Z = 4.