The generation of possible crystal structures of primary amides

Procedures are outlined for generation of crystal structures of primary amide molecules by constructing the possible ways in which the molecules may pack. For each given one- or two-dimensional hydrogen-bonded array, ensembles of three-dimensional crystal structures are generated by considering the possible ways in which the arrays may be juxtaposed. Observed and generated hypothetical molecular arrangements are analysed to highlight both favourable and unfavourable features, par­ticularly in terms of close packing principles, the size and shape of the molecule, van der Waals and Coulomb interactions and N-H ∙ ∙ ∙ O bonding geometry.