Crystal structure of (S)-1-O-tert-butyl-diphenyl-silylglycerol: eight chiral mol-ecules in a triclinic cell.

The asymmetric unit of the title compound {systematic name: 3-[(tert-butyl-diphenyl-sil-yl)-oxy]propane-1,2-diol, C19H26O3Si}, contains eight chiral mol-ecules (Z' = 8). These mol-ecules are connected via a complex system of hydrogen bonds into an infinite assembly along the [100] axis; hydro-phobic tert-butyl and phenyl groups form an external coating of the assembly. These assemblies are packed by weak inter-molecular inter-actions in a peculiar formation resembling a 'header bond' masonry brick wall. Disorder of flexible fragments increases with temperature but the same crystal structure exists from 120 to 220 K (and most probably to the melting point at 334 K).