Crystal Structure of the Menshutkin Complex Benzene · 2SbCl3

Crystals of benzene · 2 SbCl3, grown from the melt, are triclinic with space group P1, two formula units per unit cell and lattice constants a = 816.5, b = 821.1,c = 1183.3 pm, α = 94.22, β = 94.00, γ = 108.55° at 295 K. The benzene molecule and the two SbCl3 molecules are in general positions and form a molecular complex. The distances between the ring plane and the Sb atoms on opposite sides are 330 and 322 pm, similar to the π…Sb interactions in other Menshutkin complexes. Taking into account additional intermolecular contacts of the type Sb…Cl both Sb atoms have a deformed pentagonal‐bipyramidal coordination with the benzene molecule in an axial position each. The SbCl3 molecules form corrugated layers.