The trans and cis isomers of civetone (C₁₇H₃₀O) crystallize in isomorphous systems and form plastic crystals (tetragonal, space group I4₁ a=9.95 (4), c = 32.79 (1) Å, Z = 8). Mixed crystals were prepared with cis-civetone as second component. Accordingly the diffuse structural model obtained for the disordered phase of the cis-isomer [1] is also regarded as representative of that of trans-civetone.

The crystal structure of trans-civetone 2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazone (DNPHTC; C₂₃H₃₄N₄, Monoclinic, Space group P2₁/c, a=8.364(2), b=7.971(1), c=36.025(8) Å, β=91.44 (2)°) was solved by direct methods and refined to a final R of 0.09 (R_w = 0.021). The macrocycle adopts a sexangular conformation [23*434*44*], and its mean plane is approximatively perpendicular to that of the aromatic substituent. Empirical force field calculations have shown that the DNPH substituent has very little influence on the macrocycle conformation. The intermolecular interactions take place essentially between groups of the same type: macrocycle…macrocycle and DNPH…DNPH.