Tautomeric polymorphism in salicylideneamine derivatives: an X-ray diffraction and solid-state NMR study

The crystal structure of the N-(3-hydroxysalicylidene)-4-methoxyaniline has been studied by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and solid-state NMR spectroscopy. This is the first example of a Schiff base derived from 3-hydroxysalicylaldehyde which displays in the asymmetric unit, four distinct molecules linked together in the crystal lattice by two types of intermolecular O–HO hydrogen bonds and formed by two independent tetramers. The ¹³C CPMAS NMR study corroborates the above results; the presence of different tautomeric equilibria in the same crystal structure is demonstrated and a qualitative estimation of the equilibrium mixture composition is given.