Nonexponential solid state 1H and 19F spin-lattice relaxation, single-crystal X-ray diffraction, and isolated-molecule and cluster electronic structure calculations in an organic solid: coupled methyl group rotation and methoxy group libration in 4,4'-dimethoxyoctafluorobiphenyl.

We investigate the relationship between intramolecular rotational dynamics and molecular and crystal structure in 4,4'-dimethoxyoctafluorobiphenyl. The techniques are electronic structure calculations, X-ray diffractometry, and (1)H and (19)F solid state nuclear magnetic resonance relaxation. We compute and measure barriers for coupled methyl group rotation and methoxy group libration. We compare the structure and the structure-motion relationship in 4,4'-dimethoxyoctafluorobiphenyl with the structure and the structure-motion relationship in related compounds in order to observe trends concerning the competition between intramolecular and intermolecular interactions. The (1)H spin-lattice relaxation is nonexponential in both the high-temperature short-correlation time limit and in the low-temperature long-correlation time limit, albeit for different reasons. The (19)F spin-lattice relaxation is nonexponential at low temperatures and it is exponential at high temperatures.