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Ambient‐pressure trigonal phase α of selenourea SeC(NH2)2 is noncentrosymmetric, with high Z′ = 9. Under high pressure it undergoes several intriguing transformations, depending on the pressure‐transmitting medium and the compression or recrystallization process. In glycerine or oil, α‐SeC(NH2)2 transforms into phase β at 0.21 GPa; however in water, phase α initially increases its volume and can be compressed to 0.30 GPa due to the formation of α‐SeC(NH2)2·xH2O. The single crystals of α‐SeC(NH2)2 and of its partial hydrate α‐SeC(NH2)2·xH2O are shattered by pressure‐induced transitions. Single crystals of phase β‐SeC(NH2)2 were in situ grown in a diamond‐anvil cell and studied by X‐ray diffraction. The monoclinic phase β is centrosymmetric, with Z′ = 2. It is stable to 3.20 GPa at least, but it cannot be recovered at ambient conditions due to strongly strained NH...Se hydrogen bonds. No hydrogen‐bonding motifs present in the urea structures have been found in selenourea phases α and β. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1,4-Dibromobenzene melts at a considerably higher temperature than the 1,2- and 1,3-isomers. This melting-point difference is consistent with the molecular symmetry, as described by Carnelley's rule, and with the frequency of Br...Br halogen bonds. The lowest melting point of 1,3-dibromobenzene correlates with its two symmetry-independent molecules, indicating their inability to pack closely. Single crystals of 1,2- and 1,3-dibromobenzene have been grown under isochoric conditions in a diamond-anvil cell and at isobaric conditions in a glass capillary. Their structures have been determined in situ by X-ray diffraction. At 295 K 1,2-dibromobenzene crystallizes at 0.2 GPa as orthorhombic, space group Pbca, Z′ = 1, and 1,3-dibromobenzene at 0.3 GPa as orthorhombic, space group P212121, Z′ = 2. The same crystal phases are formed at ambient pressure by freezing these liquids below 256.15 and 248.45 K, respectively. The third isomer, 1,4-dibromobenzene, is a solid at room temperature and crystallizes as monoclinic, space group P21/ a. Striking relations between the structures and melting points of the corresponding dibromobenzene and dichlorobenzene isomers have been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trimethyl(trifluoromethyl)silane, (CH3)3SiCF3, has been in situ pressure frozen in a diamond anvil cell and its structure determined at 0.90(5) GPa/296 K by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The crystal is monoclinic, space group P21/m, with the molecules lying on crystallographic mirror planes. The CH3 and CF3 groups assume the fully staggered conformation. The 14-fold coordination scheme of the molecules is similar to those in (CH3)3SiCl polymorphs, but different from that in crystalline tetramethylsilane, (CH3)4Si (TMS). The longest Si—C bond length of 1.943(12) Å observed in the crystal structure has been documented. The shortest intermolecular contacts in the structure of pressure-frozen CF3Si(CH3)3 are observed between the hydrogen atoms, and those involving fluorine atoms are longer than sums of van der Waals’ radii. These structural features explain the facile cleavage of Si—CF3 bond for CF3 group transfer in organic reactions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]