title: Azo···phenyl stacking: a persistent self-assembly motif guides the assembly of fluorinated cis-azobenzenes into photo-mechanical needle crystals.
abstract: We describe a novel, persistent motif of molecular assembly in photo-mechanical crystals and cocrystals of fluorinated cis-azobenzenes. The azo···phenyl stacking, preserved upon either chemical substitution or halogen-bonded cocrystallization, guides the assembly of fluorinated cis-azobenzenes into columnar stacks and drives the formation of crystals with needle-like morphologies optimal for photo-mechanical motion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke St. W. H3A 0B8, Montreal, Canada. christopher.barrett@mcgill.ca tomislav.friscic@mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Oleksandr S
authors.initials: OS
authors.lastname: Bushuyev
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke St. W. H3A 0B8, Montreal, Canada. christopher.barrett@mcgill.ca tomislav.friscic@mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tomberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke St. W. H3A 0B8, Montreal, Canada. christopher.barrett@mcgill.ca tomislav.friscic@mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Joanna R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Vinden
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke St. W. H3A 0B8, Montreal, Canada. christopher.barrett@mcgill.ca tomislav.friscic@mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Moitessier
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke St. W. H3A 0B8, Montreal, Canada. christopher.barrett@mcgill.ca tomislav.friscic@mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Christopher J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Barrett
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, McGill University, 801 Sherbrooke St. W. H3A 0B8, Montreal, Canada. christopher.barrett@mcgill.ca tomislav.friscic@mcgill.ca.
authors.forename: Tomislav
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Friščić