A detailed
structural analysis of 23 new crystal structures of (S)-phenylglycine amide benzaldimines with various substituents (CH3, Ph, OCH3, F, Cl, Br, NO2) on the benzylidene
is performed in this contribution. These compounds belong to the highly
studied family of Schiff bases. Etter’s nomenclature and Hirshfeld
surfaces are used to describe respectively the strong hydrogen bonds
and the secondary interactions existing in these compounds. Surprisingly,
all 23 obtained structures can be sorted into five types according
to their hydrogen bonding motifs. The potential interplay of steric
and electronic effects of the substituents on the resulting bonding
patterns, conformational features and packing was investigated. Our
analysis revealed that neither mesomeric/inductive factors of halogens
nor π–π stacking, C–H···π,
and other hydrophobic interactions affect the structural outcome.
The type affiliation is rather due to the interplay of three parameters:
(1) the number of strong hydrogen bonds forming the motif (thermodynamic
factor), (2) the ease with which the motif is formed (kinetic factor),
and (3) the capacity of the motif to accommodate substituents on the
different positions (steric factor). It was thus possible to suggest
a stability ranking of the five structural types and to identify stable
forms when polymorphism was encountered.