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ISSN: 2414-3146

3-Methyl-2-nitro­aniline

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aDepartment of Chemistry and Mathematics, Southeast Missouri State University, Cape Girardeau, MO 63701, USA
*Correspondence e-mail: [email protected]

Edited by W. T. A. Harrison, University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom (Received 3 August 2026; accepted 14 August 2026; online 20 August 2026)

The structure of the title compound, C7H8N2O2, is reported and completes structural characterization for the family of methyl-2-nitro­aniline isomers. Bond lengths and angles conform to reported values in other methyl-2-nitro­aniline structures, except for the large angle [36.82 (4)°] formed between the phenyl ring and nitro group mean planes. This large angle is due to steric crowding by the neighboring methyl group, a result that is confirmed by an ab initio geometry optimization in vacuo that yields a similar inter­planar angle (38.28°). In the extended structure, the mol­ecules form inversion-related pairs that belong to neighboring supra­molecular spiral stacks parallel to c. The stacks form around a 41 axis with N—H⋯N hydrogen bonding between mol­ecules related by −1/4 of a turn at the core and peripheral N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds to mol­ecules related by +3/4 of a turn.

3D view (loading...)
[Scheme 3D1]
Chemical scheme
[Scheme 1]

Structure description

The title compound, C7H8N2O2 (I), is the only methyl-2-nitro­aniline (M2NA) isomer with an unreported crystal structure. The geometric parameters of (I) (Fig. 1[link]) conform to expected values and to the bond length and angle analysis conducted in our prior report of the structure of the 5-methyl isomer [Samson et al., 2025View full citation; Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) refcode: ILADOS]. Specifically, the aniline group is almost planar [root-mean-square deviation (r.m.s.d.) = 0.056 Å from the C1/N1/H1A/H1B mean plane] with slight pyramidalization (N1 deviates by 0.097 Å from the mean plane while other atoms deviate by ∼0.03 Å on the opposite side). The nitro group is essentially planar (r.m.s.d. = 0.002 Å from the C2/N2/O1/O2 mean plane). The aniline group is nearly coplanar with the phenyl ring [dihedral angle = 4.9 (4)° between mean-plane normals] but the nitro group is not [36.82 (4)° between mean plane normals]. This large inter­planar angle results from steric crowding by the neighboring methyl group – in other M2NA structures this angle is less than 6°. This result is confirmed by an ab initio geometry optimization [6–31 G(d); GAMESS version 15 Jul 2024 (Schmidt et al., 1993View full citation)] in which the value for this inter­planar angle (38.26°) is in close agreement. Of note, a corresponding DFT geometry optimization [B3LYP, 6–31 G(d)] underestimates this angle (22.36°) but nevertheless shows the nitro group plane at a substantial twist. An electrostatic potential plot of the ab initio optimization is presented in Fig. 2[link] and the corresponding MOL file placed in supporting information.

[Figure 1]
Figure 1
Displacement ellipsoid plot of (I) at the 50% level with labels for all non-H atoms. The intra­molecular hydrogen bond is indicated by a double-dashed line.
[Figure 2]
Figure 2
Electrostatic potential plot of the mol­ecular geometry of (I) obtained from an ab initio geometry optimization. Regions of negative charge accumulation are colored red while regions of positive charge accumulation are colored blue. Atoms are drawn as spheres of arbitrary radii.

The C—Na (a = aniline) distance in (I) is significantly shorter (by 0.16 Å) than the sum of the covalent radii. This result is expected due to participation of the aniline group in the π-system of the aromatic ring and in agreement with the average distance [1.349 (4) Å] in other M2NA structures. The C—Nn (n = nitro) distance is 0.07 Å less than the sum of the covalent radii and close to the average distance [1.46 (4) Å] in M2NA analogs as well as in the ab initio optimized geometry (1.454 Å). The large standard deviation in this average value is due to a bimodal distribution with distances of 1.50 Å in the 6-methyl analog [KEFYOK (Jing et al., 2006View full citation) and KEFYOK01/02 (Callear & Hursthouse, 2009View full citation)] compared to distances in the range of 1.41–1.43 Å in the 4-methyl [TEHGUI (Ellena et al., 1996View full citation); TEGHUI01 (Cannon, Glidewell, Low et al., 2001View full citation); TEGHUI02 (Nigam & Murty, 1965View full citation); TEGHUI03 (Aguirre et al., 2024View full citation)] and 5-methyl (ILADOS) compounds. A survey of 2-nitro­aniline structures in the CSD (Version 6.01; February 2026 update; Groom et al., 2016View full citation) was conducted in which substitution was required in the 3-position on the aromatic ring and possible substitution at the other positions. Values of inter­planar angles between phenyl and nitro groups and C—Nn bond lengths for 91 hits were recorded and show the full range of inter­planar angles. Bond lengths generally increase with inter­planar angles in spite of competing effects of other ring substituents (Fig. 3[link]). These data can be empirically fitted by an exponential function that gives an inter­planar angle of ∼26° for the C—Nn bond length in (I). The N—O distances agree within 0.004 Å and, with an average value of 1.218 Å, are significantly shorter that the sum of the covalent radii as a result of resonance between structures with a formal single and double bond. The shorter N—O distance belongs to the O atom involved in the intra­molecular hydrogen bond.

[Figure 3]
Figure 3
A plot of the angle between phenyl and nitro group mean planes (°) versus C—Nnitro bond length (Å) for 3-substituted 2-nitro­aniline structures. The red curve is an empirical exponential fit.

In the extended structure of (I), inversion-related pairs of mol­ecules (Fig. 4[link]), consisting of facing phenyl rings [centroid–centroid distance = 3.6498 (8) Å] slightly offset from each other [shift distance = 0.8407 (17) Å], are a readily observed structural motif. These mol­ecules, however, belong to separate supra­molecular spiral columns formed along the 41 screw axes (Fig. 5[link]). Here the H atom involved in intra­molecular hydrogen bonding also forms a long hydrogen bond to an aniline group on the preceding mol­ecule related by −1/4 of a turn in the spiral. The sequence of N—H⋯N hydrogen bonds builds the spiral structure at the core of the column (Fig. 6[link]). A shorter N—H⋯O hydrogen bond to the mol­ecule 3/4 of a turn above provides a peripheral connection that reinforces the spiral structure. Four neighboring columns aggregate about a Mathematical equation axis (Fig. 7[link]). Hydrogen-bonding parameters are presented in Table 1[link].

Table 1
Hydrogen-bond geometry (Å, °)

D—H⋯A D—H H⋯A DA D—H⋯A
N1—H1B⋯O1 0.987 (15) 2.052 (15) 2.7126 (15) 122.5 (11)
N1—H1B⋯N1i 0.987 (15) 2.407 (15) 3.2705 (13) 145.8 (11)
N1—H1A⋯O2ii 0.955 (14) 2.285 (15) 3.2108 (15) 163.0 (13)
Symmetry codes: (i) Mathematical equation; (ii) Mathematical equation.
[Figure 4]
Figure 4
Displacement ellipsoid plot of an inversion-related pair of mol­ecules in (I). H atoms are drawn as spheres of arbitrary radii.
[Figure 5]
Figure 5
A plot of the supra­molecular spiral structure generated by the 41 axis viewed with the c axis horizontal and [110] into the plane of the paper. Atoms are drawn as spheres of arbitrary radii and hydrogen bonds are indicated by dashed lines.
[Figure 6]
Figure 6
A plot of the mol­ecular spiral viewed down the c axis with a horizontal and b vertical. Atoms are drawn as spheres of arbitrary radii and hydrogen bonds are indicated by dashed lines.
[Figure 7]
Figure 7
Packing diagram viewed down c with a vertical and b horizontal. 41 screw axes are denoted by red ‘+' symbols and Mathematical equation axes are denoted by solid red dots. Atoms are drawn as spheres of arbitrary radii.

The spiral columns in (I) are most closely related to the double spiral columns in KEFYOK/01. Here, pairs of facing, symmetrically inequivalent mol­ecules are rotated by approximately 90° and moved up the column by a c-glide operation to generate an approximately square cross-section. Symmetrically inequivalent mol­ecules related by 1/4 of a turn are connected pairwise with short N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds while longer N—H⋯O hydrogen bonds connect neighboring columns.

Synthesis and crystallization

3-Methyl-2-nitro­aniline (99%, Ambeed) was separately dissolved in ethanol and in acetone. Orange diffraction-quality crystals were grown by slow evaporation. A crystal obtained from acetone solution provides the reported structure with no polymorphism found for crystals grown from ethanol solution. Crystals of 5-methyl-2-nitro­aniline (ILADOS), previously obtained from ethanol solution, were grown from acetone solution but no polymorphic structure was found.

Refinement

Data collection and refinement parameters are presented in Table 2[link]. Structure solution and initial refinement using an independent atom model occurred within SHELXL2018/3 (Sheldrick, 2015bView full citation). Final structure refinement occurred within the OLEX2–1.5 system via Hirshfeld atom refinement using NoSpherA2 (Kleemiss et al., 2021View full citation; Midgley et al., 2021View full citation) with non-spherical atomic form factors derived from electron density determined by DFT calculations using ORCA 5.0 (B3LYP functional, def2-SVP basis set; Neese, 2022View full citation). All atoms were refined anisotropically. Two low angle reflections with Fo < Fc were presumed to be blocked by the beam catcher and omitted from the refinement. APEX3 software recommended data collection to 2θmax = 66°. However <I/σ> < 3 for data beyond 2θ = 62°, so refinement was limited to 2θmax = 62°.

Table 2
Experimental details

Crystal data
Chemical formula C7H8N2O2
Mr 152.15
Crystal system, space group Tetragonal, I41/a
Temperature (K) 295
a, c (Å) 19.8091 (6), 7.3503 (4)
V3) 2884.3 (2)
Z 16
Radiation type Mo Kα
μ (mm−1) 0.11
Crystal size (mm) 0.38 × 0.36 × 0.21
 
Data collection
Diffractometer Bruker D8 Quest Eco CCD
Absorption correction Multi-scan (SADABS; Krause et al., 2015View full citation)
Tmin, Tmax 0.910, 0.999
No. of measured, independent and observed [I ≥ 2u(I)] reflections 85493, 2296, 1669
Rint 0.087
(sin θ/λ)max−1) 0.724
 
Refinement
R[F2 > 2σ(F2)], wR(F2), S 0.040, 0.075, 1.10
No. of reflections 2296
No. of parameters 172
H-atom treatment All H-atom parameters refined
Δρmax, Δρmin (e Å−3) 0.31, −0.31
Computer programs: APEX3 and SAINT (Bruker, 2019View full citation), SHELXT2018/2 (Sheldrick, 2015aView full citation), SHELXL2018/3 (Sheldrick, 2015bView full citation) OLEX2.refine (Bourhis et al., 2015View full citation), ORTEPIII (Burnett & Johnson, 1996View full citation), ORTEP-3 for Windows (Farrugia, 2012View full citation), Mercury 2026.1.1 (Macrae et al., 2020View full citation) and publCIF (Westrip, 2010View full citation).

Structural data


Computing details top

(I) top
Crystal data top
C7H8N2O2Dx = 1.402 Mg m3
Mr = 152.15Mo Kα radiation, λ = 0.71073 Å
Tetragonal, I41/aCell parameters from 9856 reflections
a = 19.8091 (6) Åθ = 2.9–29.9°
c = 7.3503 (4) ŵ = 0.11 mm1
V = 2884.3 (2) Å3T = 295 K
Z = 16Block, orange
F(000) = 12800.38 × 0.36 × 0.21 mm
Data collection top
Bruker D8 Quest Eco CCD
diffractometer
1669 reflections with I 2u(I)
φ and ω scansRint = 0.087
Absorption correction: multi-scan
(SADABS; Krause et al., 2015)
θmax = 31.0°, θmin = 3.6°
Tmin = 0.910, Tmax = 0.999h = 3030
85493 measured reflectionsk = 3030
2296 independent reflectionsl = 1111
Refinement top
Refinement on F20 constraints
Least-squares matrix: fullPrimary atom site location: dual
R[F2 > 2σ(F2)] = 0.040All H-atom parameters refined
wR(F2) = 0.075 w = 1/[σ2(Fo2) + (0.0203P)2 + 0.9459P]
where P = (Fo2 + 2Fc2)/3
S = 1.10(Δ/σ)max = 0.0002
2296 reflectionsΔρmax = 0.31 e Å3
172 parametersΔρmin = 0.31 e Å3
0 restraints
Fractional atomic coordinates and isotropic or equivalent isotropic displacement parameters (Å2) top
xyzUiso*/Ueq
O10.64835 (4)0.50497 (4)0.26286 (11)0.0554 (2)
O20.63080 (5)0.60946 (4)0.21656 (11)0.0590 (3)
N10.65529 (6)0.48114 (5)0.62579 (18)0.0470 (2)
H1A0.6609 (8)0.4522 (7)0.729 (2)0.070 (4)
H1B0.6776 (8)0.4679 (7)0.511 (2)0.064 (4)
N20.62245 (4)0.55827 (4)0.30605 (10)0.03423 (19)
C10.60055 (5)0.52243 (4)0.62063 (13)0.0311 (2)
C20.58132 (4)0.56176 (4)0.46892 (11)0.02697 (18)
C30.52438 (5)0.60431 (5)0.46971 (13)0.0334 (2)
C40.48708 (6)0.60780 (6)0.62847 (17)0.0454 (3)
H40.4425 (7)0.6385 (8)0.630 (2)0.085 (5)
C50.50662 (6)0.57207 (6)0.78302 (16)0.0496 (3)
H50.4765 (7)0.5758 (8)0.905 (2)0.084 (5)
C60.56209 (6)0.53066 (6)0.78023 (15)0.0430 (3)
H60.5777 (7)0.5026 (7)0.8943 (19)0.076 (4)
C310.50038 (8)0.64390 (9)0.3083 (2)0.0539 (3)
H31A0.5285 (10)0.6878 (9)0.289 (2)0.095 (6)
H31B0.5014 (11)0.6159 (9)0.185 (2)0.113 (7)
H31C0.4505 (9)0.6590 (9)0.329 (2)0.112 (6)
Atomic displacement parameters (Å2) top
U11U22U33U12U13U23
O10.0697 (6)0.0555 (5)0.0411 (4)0.0169 (4)0.0181 (4)0.0051 (4)
O20.0723 (6)0.0585 (5)0.0463 (5)0.0022 (4)0.0238 (4)0.0179 (4)
N10.0532 (6)0.0453 (6)0.0425 (6)0.0100 (5)0.0002 (5)0.0128 (5)
H1A0.095 (12)0.056 (9)0.058 (10)0.010 (8)0.011 (8)0.020 (8)
H1B0.085 (12)0.062 (10)0.046 (9)0.022 (8)0.003 (9)0.004 (8)
N20.0370 (4)0.0406 (5)0.0251 (4)0.0009 (4)0.0043 (3)0.0006 (3)
C10.0364 (5)0.0301 (5)0.0269 (4)0.0054 (4)0.0016 (4)0.0023 (4)
C20.0302 (4)0.0262 (4)0.0245 (4)0.0032 (3)0.0024 (3)0.0020 (3)
C30.0311 (5)0.0328 (5)0.0363 (5)0.0001 (4)0.0009 (4)0.0052 (4)
C40.0365 (6)0.0483 (6)0.0514 (7)0.0001 (5)0.0101 (5)0.0147 (5)
H40.068 (10)0.088 (11)0.099 (12)0.016 (9)0.010 (9)0.026 (9)
C50.0496 (7)0.0608 (7)0.0385 (6)0.0103 (6)0.0186 (5)0.0122 (5)
H50.089 (11)0.103 (12)0.062 (10)0.008 (9)0.025 (9)0.005 (9)
C60.0525 (7)0.0496 (6)0.0269 (5)0.0121 (5)0.0073 (5)0.0029 (5)
H60.100 (11)0.085 (10)0.044 (8)0.004 (9)0.019 (8)0.001 (8)
C310.0511 (8)0.0531 (8)0.0575 (8)0.0121 (6)0.0122 (7)0.0071 (7)
H31A0.123 (15)0.059 (10)0.104 (14)0.007 (10)0.021 (11)0.024 (10)
H31B0.167 (19)0.114 (15)0.059 (11)0.055 (13)0.029 (12)0.010 (11)
H31C0.063 (11)0.151 (16)0.121 (15)0.049 (11)0.003 (10)0.041 (13)
Geometric parameters (Å, º) top
O1—N21.2160 (10)C3—C311.4995 (16)
O2—N21.2199 (10)C4—H41.073 (14)
N1—H1A0.955 (14)C4—C51.3933 (18)
N1—H1B0.987 (15)C5—H51.082 (14)
N1—C11.3588 (14)C5—C61.3714 (18)
N2—C21.4497 (11)C6—H61.052 (15)
C1—C21.4125 (12)C31—H31A1.042 (18)
C1—C61.4082 (14)C31—H31B1.066 (17)
C2—C31.4081 (12)C31—H31C1.044 (16)
C3—C41.3830 (14)
H1B—N1—H1A117.6 (12)H4—C4—C3118.5 (9)
C1—N1—H1A118.5 (9)C5—C4—C3120.94 (11)
C1—N1—H1B119.6 (8)C5—C4—H4120.6 (9)
O2—N2—O1121.58 (8)H5—C5—C4119.3 (8)
C2—N2—O1119.61 (8)C6—C5—C4120.95 (11)
C2—N2—O2118.81 (8)C6—C5—H5119.7 (8)
C2—C1—N1124.70 (9)C5—C6—C1121.00 (11)
C6—C1—N1118.56 (10)H6—C6—C1116.4 (7)
C6—C1—C2116.61 (9)H6—C6—C5122.6 (7)
C1—C2—N2118.30 (8)H31A—C31—C3111.8 (9)
C3—C2—N2118.82 (8)H31B—C31—C3113.4 (8)
C3—C2—C1122.88 (8)H31B—C31—H31A108.2 (14)
C4—C3—C2117.48 (9)H31C—C31—C3109.4 (9)
C31—C3—C2124.32 (10)H31C—C31—H31A106.7 (13)
C31—C3—C4118.17 (11)H31C—C31—H31B107.0 (14)
O1—N2—C2—C135.82 (10)N2—C2—C3—C313.80 (12)
O1—N2—C2—C3144.56 (9)C1—C2—C3—C41.11 (10)
O2—N2—C2—C1143.35 (9)C1—C2—C3—C31176.61 (11)
O2—N2—C2—C336.26 (10)C1—C6—C5—C40.68 (12)
N1—C1—C2—N20.04 (11)C2—C1—C6—C53.55 (10)
N1—C1—C2—C3179.55 (10)C2—C3—C4—C51.98 (10)
N1—C1—C6—C5179.56 (10)C3—C2—C1—C63.81 (10)
N2—C2—C1—C6175.79 (8)C3—C4—C5—C62.23 (13)
N2—C2—C3—C4178.49 (8)C5—C4—C3—C31179.84 (12)
Hydrogen-bond geometry (Å, º) top
D—H···AD—HH···AD···AD—H···A
N1—H1B···O10.987 (15)2.052 (15)2.7126 (15)122.5 (11)
N1—H1B···N1i0.987 (15)2.407 (15)3.2705 (13)145.8 (11)
N1—H1A···O2ii0.955 (14)2.285 (15)3.2108 (15)163.0 (13)
Symmetry codes: (i) y+5/4, x1/4, z1/4; (ii) y+5/4, x1/4, z+3/4.
 

Acknowledgements

Quantum mechanical calculations were conducted on the CIMUSE nodes funded by National Science Foundation grant 2322084 and incorporated as part of the Hellbender high performance computing environment at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

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