Structure of tetrakis(dimethylamino)ethene (TDAE) at low temperatures

Abstract

Abstract The single crystal structure of TDAE was redetermined at different temperatures. Phase transitions are observed by warming the samples from low temperatures but never by cooling. Due to this special behavior it was possible to cool single crystals to 90 K. The data collected from such supercooled crystals resulted in a more precise and reliable structure refinement. Interesting structural details of the sterically overcrowded molecule are elucidated. The temperature dependence of the distortions of the nonplanar dimethylamino groups indicates dynamic behavior rather than static disorder.