Solid phases in cycloheptanol: Dynamic disorder and glass transitions

The stable solid polymorphism of cycloheptanol (C7H14O, for short C7–OH) is revised in the present paper. Four solid stable phases, denoted on cooling from the liquid as phases I, II, III and IV are identified from Xray diffraction measurements. Lattice symmetry of phase III has been unambiguously stated as orthorhombic. Diffraction patterns corresponding to phase IV have been also indexed as orthorhombic, but only in a tentative way. A detailed broadband dielectric spectroscopy study devoted to these phases has been made. Such an experimental technique has no revealed differences between phases III and IV and from specific-heat measurements, the III–IV phase transition has not been observed yet. Dielectric results seem to evidence that the dynamic disorder of phase III and/or IV should be intra-molecular attributed to changes between the possible distinguishable molecular conformations along with possible hydroxyl group rotations. The possibility of C7–OH as conformational glass-forming material is discussed.