Solid phases of cyclopentane: combined experimental and simulation study

J Phys Chem B. 2008 Mar 27;112(12):3746-58. doi: 10.1021/jp710017y. Epub 2008 Mar 5.

Abstract

The phase diagram of cyclopentane has been studied by powder neutron diffraction, providing diffraction patterns for phases I, II, and III, over a range of temperatures and pressures. The putative phase IV was not observed. The structure of the ordered phase III has been solved by single-crystal diffraction. Computational modeling reveals that there are many equienergetic ordered structures for cyclopentane within a small energy range. Molecular dynamics simulations reproduce the structures and diffraction patterns for phases I and III and also show an intermediate disordered phase, which is used to interpret phase II.