3-Hydroxybenzaldehyde

The title compound, C(7)H(6)O(2), forms infinite chains where the molecules are hydrogen bonded via the hydroxyl and aldehyde groups, with an O.O distance of 2.719 (3) A. Interchain interactions are weak. The geometry of the ring differs from the ideal form due to the effect of the substituents. Ab initio (Hartree-Fock self-consistent field-molecular orbital and density functional theory) calculations for the free molecule reproduce well the observed small distortions of the ring. In the crystal, the geometry deviates from the ideal C(s) symmetry of the free molecule, as given by the ab initio calculations. The aldehyde and hydroxyl groups are twisted around the single bonds which join them to the ring as a result of the intermolecular hydrogen-bond interactions. These are also responsible for an elongation of the hydroxy C-OH bond compared with that calculated for the free molecule.