An exploration of O—H⋯O and C—H⋯π inter­actions in a long-chain-ester-substituted phenyl­phenol: methyl 10-[4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)phenoxy]decanoate

An understanding of the driving forces resulting in crystallization vs organogel formation is essential to the development of modern soft materials. In the mol­ecular structure of the title compound, methyl 10-[4-(4-hydroxyphenyl)phen­oxy]decanoate (MBO10Me), C(23)H(30)O(4), the aromatic rings of the biphenyl group are canted by 6.6 (2)° and the long-chain ester group has an extended conformation. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked by O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming chains along [10[Image: see text]]. The chains are linked by C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming layers parallel to the ac plane. The layers are linked by C—H⋯π inter­actions, forming a three-dimensional supra­molecular structure. The extended structure exhibits a lamellar sheet arrangement of mol­ecules stacking along the b-axis direction. Each mol­ecule has six nearest neighbors and the seven-mol­ecule bundles stack to form a columnar superstructure. Inter­action energies within the bundles are dominated by dispersion forces, whereas inter­columnar inter­actions have a greater electrostatic component.