Crystal and molecular structure of glycinehydroxamic acid

Glycinehydroxamic acid, C₂H₆N₂O₂ (NH₂CH₂C(O)NHOH), was synthesized and its crystal and molecular structure determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The crystals are monoclinic:P2₁/c C_2h⁵, No. 14),a=5.682(2),b=7.133(2),c=9.540(3) Å,=104.38(4)°,Z=4. The structure has been solved by direct phase determination methods, and refined to anR value of 0.042 for 633 nonzero independent amplitudes. The molecule of the title compound exists in the structure as a zwitterion, NH₃⁺-CH₂-C(O)-N-OH. The hydroxamate group is planar and the N (amino) atom, from the glycine part of the molecule, deviates by 1.43 Å from the best molecular plane defined by O(1), N(1), C(1), and O(2) atoms, respectively.The molecules are held together by a network of N⁺-HO, N⁺-H¯N, and O-HO hydrogen bonds.