Crystal structure of ( E )-4-benzylidene-6-phenyl-1,2,3,4,7,8,9,10-octahydrophenanthridine

The preparation of the title compound, C 26 H 25 N, was achieved by the condensation of an ethanolic mixture of benzaldehyde, cyclohexanone and ammonium acetate in a 2:1:1 molar ratio. There are two crystallographically independent molecules in the asymmetric unit. The two cyclohexyl rings adopt an anti -envelope conformation with the benzyl moiety adopting a cis conformation with respect to the nitrogen atom of the phenanthridine segment. In the crystal, molecules are linked through C—H...N interactions into hydrogen-bonded chains that are further arranged into distinct layers by weak offset π–π interactions.