How directional are D-H center dot center dot center dot phenyl interactions in the solid state (D = C, N, O)?

In-depth examinations of the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) for D-H center dot center dot center dot phenyl supramolecular contacts (with D = C, N, O) have been made. Careful analyses of the data found in a 5 angstrom high and 10 angstrom wide hemisphere around the phenyl plane reveal that for D = C or N, the CSD hits are preferentially located above the ring, thus indicating that C-H center dot center dot center dot pi(phenyl) and N-H center dot center dot center dot pi(phenyl) interactions are preferentially taking place. In contrast, for D = O, the CSD hits cluster near the periphery of the phenyl ring, suggesting that the O-H moiety rather acts as hydrogen-bond acceptor (the phenyl unit behaving as a hydrogen-donor group in this case). These findings are confirmed by inspection of the vertical region (d) above the ring centroid (r = 0-1 angstrom), as Gaussian-shaped plots are observed for D = C (maximum at d = 2.90 angstrom) and D = N (maximum at d = 2.55 angstrom) while the hits are randomly distributed for D = O.