The crystal structure of 4,7-oxido-7-methyl-7-hydroxymethyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-oxyl
4,7-Oxido-7-methyl-7-hydroxymethyl-2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidin-1-oxyl, C12H22NO3, crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/m with unit cell dimensions a = 8.041(1), b = 13.348(1), c = 5.945(1) Å, β = 95.90(1)°, Z = 2. Intensity data were measured on a diffractometer and the structure solved by direct methods. The least-squares refinement converged at R = 0.039 for 1304 reflections. Two enantiomeric molecules, differing in the position of the OH group, occupy the same site in the asymmetric unit (each with a probability of 0.5) giving rise to a disorder of the hydroxyl group. The piperidine ring adopts the usual chair conformation, with C—C—C—C torsion angles being intermediate between those observed for C(4) mono- and for bisubstituted nitroxypiperidine derivatives. The N—O bond is 1.282(2) Å long, and it makes an angle of 18.5(2)° with the CNC plane. Molecules are connected by O—H … O hydrogen bonds. The influence of the degree of substitution at C(4) on ring geometry is discussed.