Packing effects in 4,4'-bis(4-hydroxybutyl)-2,2'-bipyridine and 4,4'-bis(4-bromobutyl)-2,2'-bipyridine.

Structure analyses of 4,4'-bis(4-hydroxybutyl)-2,2'-bipyridine, C 18 H 24 N 2 O 2 , (I), and 4,4'-bis(4-bromobutyl)-2,2'-bipyridine, C 18 H 22 Br 2 N 2 , (II), reveal intermolecular hydrogen bonding in both compounds. For (I), O-H...N intermolecular hydrogen bonding leads to the formation of an infinite two-dimensional polymer, and π stacking interactions are also observed. For (II), C-H...N intermolecular hydrogen bonding leads to the formation of a zigzag polymer. The two compounds crystallize in different crystal systems, but both molecules possess C i symmetry, with one half molecule in the asymmetric unit.