Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of (E)-3-(3-iodophenyl)-1-(4-iodophenyl)prop-2-en-1-one

The title compound, C₁₅H₁₀I₂O, is a halogenated chalcone formed from two iodine substituted rings, one para-substituted and the other meta-substituted, linked through a prop-2-en-1-one spacer. In the molecule, the mean planes of the 3-iodophenyl and the 4-iodophenyl groups are twisted by 46.51(15)°. The calculated electrostatic potential surfaces show the presence of σ-holes on both substituted iodines. In the crystal, the molecules are linked through type II halogen bonds, forming a sheet structure parallel to the bc plane. Between the sheets, weak intermolecular C - H...π interactions are observed. Hirshfeld surface analysis showed that the most significant contacts in the structure are C...H/H...C (31.9%), followed by H...H (21.4%), I...H/H...I (18.4%). I...I (14.5%) and O...H/H...O (8.1%).