Hexatriacontane Organogels. The First Determination of the Conformation and Molecular Packing of a Low-Molecular-Mass Organogelator in Its Gelled State

On the basis of data from a combination of X-ray diffraction techniques, the BO morph of hexatriacontane [H(CH2)36H], a low-molecular-mass gelator of several classes of liquids (including shorter n-alkanes), has been identified unambiguously as the molecular packing arrangement within the microplatelet units of the organogel superstructures. In addition, the long molecular axes of hexatriacontane molecules have been shown to be perpendicular to the planes of the microplatelets by an optical microscopic method.