Crystal structure of 4-(trimethylgermyl) benzoic acid

The title compound, [Ge(CH3)(3)(C7H5O2)], was obtained as a by-product in the synthesis of the corresponding aldehyde. Two slightly different molecules are present in the asymmetric unit. In both molecules, the geometry of the aromatic ring plane is distorted by varying intensities. Additionally, the Ge atoms deviate from the mean aromatic ring planes. Whereas the distance of the Ge atom to the ring plane is only 0.101 (4) angstrom in the first molecule, this distance is increased to 0.210 (4) angstrom in the second. In the crystal structure, centrosymmetric O-H center dot center dot center dot O hydrogen-bonded dimers are formed. The title compound is isostructural with the Si analogue [Haberecht et al. (2004). Acta Cryst. E60, o329-0330].