New edge–edge packing motifs present in the crystal structures of a thia-bridged tetrabromo aryl host

Thia-bridged diquinoline tetrabromide 7 has been synthesised and found to be a further example of the tetrahalo aryl inclusion host family. The X-ray crystal structures of the (7)2·(benzene) and (7)2 (chloroform) inclusion compounds are described and analysed. In both, the hosts assemble by means of two new types of centrosymmetric aryl edge–edge packing motifs. The first type is a C–Br⋯N dimer which generates chains of 7 molecules that are cross-linked by the second interaction, a double bifurcated Br⋯Br⋯H motif. The included guest molecules are enclosed within host molecular pens in both structures. Novel S⋯Br interactions also play an important role in linking these building blocks.