N-(2-methylphenyl) methanesulfonamide

The conformation of the N - H bond in the structure of the title compound (2MPMSA), C8H11NO2S, is syn to the ortho-methyl substituent, in contrast with the anti conformation observed for the meta-methyl-substituted compound (3MPMSA). The ortho substitution of the methyl group in N-phenyl-methane- sulfonamde (PMSA) changes its space group from monoclinic P21/c to triclinic P , compared with the change from monoclinic P21/c to ortho-rhom-bic Pccn on meta-substitution. The bond parameters in PMSA, 2MPMSA and 3MPMSA are similar, except for the torsion angles involving the S - N bond. The N - H H atom alone lies on one side of the plane of the phenyl group, while the whole methane-sulfonyl group is on the opposite side of the plane, similar to what was observed in PMSA and 3MPMSA. Thus, the amide H atom is available to a receptor mol-ecule during biological activity. The mol-ecules of the title compound form centrosymmetric dimers via an N - H⋯O(sulfon-yl) hydrogen bond. © 2007 International Union of Crystallography. All rights reserved.