Molecular and crystal structure of the bola-amphiphile N-[8-(d-gluconamido)octyl]-d-gluconamide

The crystal structure of the title compound [ 5 ; space group P 2 1 ; a = 8.375(5), b = 51.52(2), c = 5.6473(3) A; β = 89.64(4)°] was determined by X-ray diffraction methods and refined to R = 0.107. There are two molecules in the asymmetric unit, which adopt nearly identical conformations. Each molecule has two parts that differ only in the torsion angle N-C-7-C-8-C-9, which can be synclinal (−64°) or anti (168°). The molecules are arranged in sheets and the packing is stabilised by strong intra- and inter-molecular hydrogen bonds, some of which form a homodromic arrangement.