The molecular structures of O-methylhydroxylamine, N-methylhydroxylamine, N,O-dimethylhydroxylamine and N,N,O-trimethylhydroxylamine in the gas phase,determined by electron diffraction

The molecular structures of O-methylhydroxylamine, N-methylhydroxylamine, N,O-dimethylhydroxylamine and N,N,O-trimethylhydroxylamine in the gas phase have been determined by electron diffraction. In each case, the principal conformer present had the anti conformation about the N-O bond, but the dimethyl- and trimethyl-hydroxylamines also had 20–30% of the syn conformer. The N-O bond lengths increase with methyl substitution, from 146.3(3) pm in NH₂OMe to 151.3(9) pm in Me₂NOMe; C-N bond lengths also increase, but C-O bond lengths show a decrease.