Monomolecular sheets of propeller-shaped triethyl 4,4',4''-[benzene-1,3,5-triyltris(ethyne-2,1-diyl)]tribenzoate deuterochloroform monosolvate.

The title compound, C39H30O6·CDCl3, has a chemical threefold axis and an approximately planar structure, with an ethoxycarbonyl substituent on each of the terminal benzenes oriented in the same direction, thus forming a propeller-shaped molecule. This molecule is of particular interest in the field of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), where its hydrolyzed analogue forms MOF structures with high surface areas. The benzene ring which occupies the centre of the molecule forms π-π interactions to the equivalent benzene ring at a perpendicular distance of 3.32 (1) Å. Centrosymmetric dimers formed in this way are interconnected by intermolecular C-H···π interactions with a rather short H···CgA distance of 2.51 Å (CgA is the centroid of the central benzene ring). The molecules are arranged in regular parallel sheets. Within a sheet, molecules are interconnected via C-H···O interactions where all carbonyl O atoms participate in weak hydrogen bonds as hydrogen-bond acceptors. Neighbouring sheets are connected through the above-mentioned π-π and C-H···π interactions.