erythro-2-(2,6-dimethoxy-4-methylphenoxy)-1-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)propane-1,3-diol

In the title compound, C20H26O8, the molecules adopt a conformation in which the torsion angle C( aryl) - C - C O( aryloxy) is -70.8 (2)degrees and the torsion angle C( aryl) - O-C - C( benzylic) is -152.71 (18)degrees, leading to a C(aryl) center dot center dot center dot C( aryl) distance of 4.426 ( 3) angstrom. This distance is identical, within experimental error, to the calculated maximum value obtained when the torsion angle C( aryl) O - C - C( benzylic) is varied and the torsion angle C( aryl) C - C - O( aryloxy) is kept constant. The angle between the aromatic ring planes is 64.13 ( 7)degrees. The conformation is compared with those of related lignin model compounds. The hydrogen-bonding pattern reveals intramolecular interactions, and the formation of centrosymmetric dimers and chains of molecules by intermolecular interactions.