Crystal and molecular structure of hippuric acid

Abstract

Hippuric acid (N-benzoylglycine) crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group P2₁2₁2₁ with a= 10·586(1), b= 9·123(5), c= 8·880(2)Å, Z= 4. The structure was determined from diffractometer data by direct methods, and refined by electron-density and full-matrix least-squares techniques to R 0·034 for 750 observed reflexions. The structure consists of molecules of hippuric acid linked by a three-dimensional network of intermolecular O–H ⋯ O (2·68 Å) and N–H ⋯ O (3·02 Å) hydrogen bonds. The molecule is characterized by three planes defined by the phenyl, amide, and carboxylic acid groups, which are twisted with respect to each other.