2-Methoxynaphthalene at 173K

2-Methoxynaphthalene, C₁₁H₁₀O, crystallizes as a nearly planar molecule, with the methoxy group adopting a syn-periplanar conformation with respect to the C[alpha] atom. A search of the Cambridge Structural Database [Allen, F. & Kennard, O. (1993). Chem. Des. Autom. News, 8, 31-37] reveals that this conformation is characteristic of the [alpha]-methoxynaphthalene moiety, because, for each of the four exceptions found, a valid explanation can be given as to why they display a different conformation.

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