Hydrogen atoms in acetylsalicylic acid (Aspirin): the librating methyl group and probing the potential well in the hydrogen-bonded dimer

The structure of acetylsalicylic acid (2-(acetoyloxy)benzoic acid; Aspirin) has been studied by variable temperature single crystal neutron diffraction. The usual large torsional librational motion of the terminal methyl group is observed and its temperature dependence analysed using a simple model for the potential, yielding the force constant and barrier height for this motion. In addition, asymmetry of the scattering density of the proton involved in the hydrogen bond forming the carboxylic acid dimer motif is observed at temperatures above 200 K. This asymmetry is discussed in terms of its possible implications for the shape of the hydrogen bonding potential well.