Crystal structure of 1,3-dimethyl-3-phenylpyrrolidine-2,5-dione: A clinically used anticonvulsant

Abstract

In the title compound, C12H13NO2, the five-membered ring has an envelope conformation; the disubstituted C atom lies out of the mean plane through the four other ring atoms (r.m.s. deviation = 0.0038 Å) by 0.1877 (18) Å. The plane of the phenyl substituent is practically perpendicular to that of the planar part of the five-membered ring, with a dihedral angle of 87.01 (5)°. In the crystal, molecules are linked by weak C - H⋯O hydrogen bonds, forming inversion dimers. The dimers are linked by further C - H⋯O hydrogen bonds, as well as carbonyl-carbonyl attractive interactions [O⋯C = 3.2879 (19) Å], forming a three-dimensional framework structure.