The study of crystal structures is effective for understanding supramolecular behavior. By correlating chemical structure and modes of molecular association, it is possible to identify packing tendencies that exist for various chemical classes (e.g. alcohols). One such example is sextuple phenyl embrace, present in molecules that contain triphenylmethyl fragments, in which the edge of one phenyl group aligns towards the face of an adjacent phenyl group (I).

Unlike hydrogen bonds and other electrostatic contacts, the phenyl embrace motif lacks a clear description via geometric parameters. Thus, the majority of investigations that explore the supramolecular behavior of triphenyl groups, apply qualitative interpretations to explain the observed molecular motifs. Our current interest in the sextuple phenyl embrace is to establish a set of parameters that will allow for the quantitative description of molecules that exhibit phenyl embrace. Our studies include both the synthesis and crystallographic assessment of a family of triphenylmethyl compounds. Evaluation of this data, and other related compounds in the extant crystallographic database, provides an effective approach for investigating the supramolecular tendencies of the triphenylmethyl fragment.