4,5-Bis(fluorodinitromethyl)-2-methoxy-1,3-dioxolane

The 1,3-dioxolane ring of the title compound, C₆H₆F₂N₄O₁₁, is in a slightly distorted `twist' conformation. The largest deviations from the least-squares plane of the ring are exhibited by a C and an adjacent O atom which are displaced in opposite directions by about 0.23 Å. Bond distances agree well with those of the analogous formate ester, the major differences arising from the change in hybridization of the C5 atom from sp<sup>2</sup> in the ester to sp<sup>3</sup> in the present compound. The closest inter­molecular inter­actions arise from nitro group O...O contacts of 2.9 Å between pairs of layers of molecules. Sublimed crystals `jump' up to 1 cm and crack when gently heated (313 K).

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