Studies on the Molecular Structures of Gaseous Acetamide and N-methylacetamide by Electron Diffraction

Abstract 1) The molecular structures of acetamide and N-methylacetamide were determined using electron diffraction by gases. The results were compared with the values obtained from X-ray diffraction by crystals. 2) C=O distance is longer in the crystalline state than in the gaseous state, while C–N distance is shorter in the crystalline state than in the gaseous state. This is due to the hydrogen bond which is absent in the gaseous state but exists in the crystalline state.