A temperature-induced order-disorder phase transition in a 4-substituted 4,2':6',4''-terpyridine.

Crystals of 4'-(isoquinolin-4-yl)-4,2':6',4''-terpyridine (iqtp), C24H16N4, grown from an ethanol solution, undergo a reversible first-order single-crystal to single-crystal phase transition at Tc in the range 273-275 K, from a disordered higher-temperature phase [form (I)] in the space group P21/c, with one single molecule in the asymmetric unit, to an ordered lower-temperature one [form (II)] in the space group P21/n, with two independent molecules in the asymmetric unit. There is a group-subgroup relationship linking (I)-(II), due to cell doubling and the disappearance of a number of symmetry operations. In addition to X-ray diffraction, the transition has been monitored by Raman spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry, the latter disclosing an enthalpy change of 0.