Abstract

Limiting conditions for the crystal structure analysis of organics using electron diffraction intensity data from elastically bent microcrystals are shown for a representative aromatic structure, cytosine, C4H5N3O. In a projection down the longest unit-cell axis, the normalized structure-factor magnitudes are greatly changed by slight bends, making the diffraction data useless for crystal structure analysis. This alteration of intensity is less severe for a projection down the shortest cell axis and allows a correct structure analysis for bends comparable to those measured experimentally. The correct crystal orientation, moreover, is only achieved by epitaxial growth and not solution growth.