Crystal structure of 1 H -imidazole-1-methanol.

The synthesis and the crystal structure of 1 H -imidazole-1-methanol, C 4 H 6 N 2 O, are described. This compound comprises an imidazole ring with a methanol group attached at the 1-position affording an imine nitro-gen atom able to receive a hydrogen bond and an alcohol group able to donate to a hydrogen bond. This imidazole methanol crystallizes with monoclinic ( P 2 1 / n ) symmetry with three symmetry-unique mol-ecules. These three mol-ecules are connected via O-H⋯N hydrogen bonding in a head-to-tail configuration to form independent three-membered macrocycles.