Mostad A, Natarajan S
Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Norway.
Acta Chem Scand (Cph). 1989 Nov;43(10):1004-6. doi: 10.3891/acta.chem.scand.43-1004.
The crystal structure of sarcosine in pure form has been determined at low temperature (135 K). The crystals are othorhombic, space group P2(1)2(1)2(1) with unit cell dimensions a = 6.687(2) A, b = 7.899(3) A, c = 8.607(3) A. On the basis of 988 reflections with intensities larger than 3 sigma (I) the structure was refined to a conventional R-factor of 0.034 to give e.s.d. in bond lengths of 0.002 A and 0.2 degrees in angles. The molecule is extended and exists in the zwitterionic form. There is a small deviation from planarity in the alpha-amino acid group as well as in the main chain.
