The metastable form of acetamide has been studied by X-ray diffraction. The crystals are orthorhombic, space group Pccn, a=7"76, b= 19.00, c= 9"51/~, Z= 16. There are two molecules in the asymmetric unit. These are bound in two-molecule units by a pair of hydrogen bonds. Further hydrogen bonds link these dimers together in columns parallel to c. The average bond lengths in the planar molecules are C-C, 1.505+0.013; C-N, 1.334+0.017; C-O, 1.260+0-011, in good agreement with those in the stable (trigonal) solid phase, the vapor, and in similar compounds.
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Walter C. Hamilton (1965) studied this question.
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