The crystal structure of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycerol at 123 K.

At 123 K, the crystal structure of 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycerol (C35H68O5, M(r) = 568.9) is monoclinic with space group P2(1), a = 5.480(1), b = 7.301(1), c = 43.145(7) A, beta = 92.91(1) degrees, V = 1724 A3, Dc = 1.0960 g cm-3 and Z = 2. Integrated X-ray intensities for 3574 independent reflections were measured with Ni-filtered Cu-K alpha radiation (lambda = 1.5418 A, mu = 0.56 mm-1), and these were all used in a full-matrix least-squares refinement which gave R(F2) = 0.142. Bond lengths and angles have e.s.d.s less than 0.01 A and 0.1 degrees for non-hydrogen atoms. Comparison with a previously reported study of the room temperature structure shows a very similar orthorhombic mode of chain packing but significant conformational differences in the polar headgroup. These changes may occur in conjunction with small changes in enthalpy (less than 1 kJ/mol) observed at 202, 193 and 136 K and with a discontinuity in the unit cell volume observed in the range 200-190 K. Analysis of the atomic mean square displacements at 123 K indicates the presence of internal torsional vibrations in the headgroup region that involve the carbonyl and hydroxyl O-atoms.