Crystal structure at 296 and 150 K, vibrational spectra and thermal behaviour of sarcosine sarcosinium nitrate

Crystals of sarcosine sarcosinium nitrate (2 Sar center dot HNO3) have been grown and characterized at 296 and 150 K by single crystal XRD and vibrational spectroscopy. The species was found to be triclinic (space group P (1) over bar, a = 5.320(1) angstrom, b = 6.578(1) angstrom, c = 15.957(2) angstrom, alpha = 95.448(6)degrees, beta= 95.944(6)degrees, gamma = 93.410(6)degrees, V= 551.6(1) angstrom(3), and Z = 2 at 296 K), with a dimeric sarcosine ... sarcosinium cation and a nitrate anion in the asymmetric unit. A very strong hydrogen bond connects the molecules within the dimer. In addition, the tensor of thermal expansion was determined for the temperature range of 200 to 290 K. A strong anisotropy was detected, with thermal expansion along the c-axis approximately 14 times as strong as along the a-axis.