The geometric structure of malonami
de, NH
2C(O)-CH
2-C(O)NH
2, has been investigate
d by gas electron
diffraction (GED) an
d quantum chemical calculations (B3LYP an
d MP2 approximations with6-311++G(3
df,p
d) basis sets). Both GED an
d quantum chemistry result in the existence of a single
diketoconformer in the gas phase. Accor
ding to GED refinement this conformer possesses (sc,ac) conformationwith one C=O bon
d in synclinal orientation (
dihe
dral angle
(O=C-C-C) = 49.0(3.0)
deg.gif">) an
d the otherC=O bon
d in anticlinal orientation (
dihe
dral angle
(O=C-C-C) = 139.5(3.3)
deg.gif">). The experimental geometricparameters are repro
duce
d very closely by the B3LYP metho
d.