Molecular structure of o-phenylene sulphite, an electron diffraction study

Abstract

A gas electron diffraction study of o-phenylene sulphite reveals an envelope conformation for the five-membered ring with oxygen atoms in the plane of the benzene ring. The SO bond points toward the axial direction. The analysis also indicates elongation of the benzene ring skeleton in the direction parallel to the common edge of the two rings. The following values were obtained for bond lengths (r_g) and bond angles (cf. fig. 2): r(CC)_av= 1.400(3)Å, r(O—C)= 1.403(9)Å, r(S—O)= 1.672(4)Å, r(SO)= 1.424(6)Å, r(C—H)= 1.123(7)Å, ∠ C1—C2—O8 = 111.6(4)°, ∠ C—O—S = 109.6(4)°∠ O—S—O = 92.9(3)°, ∠ O—SO = 107.9(4)°, ∠ C1—C2—C3 = 122.5(3)°, ∠ C2—C3—C4 = 115.7(6)°.