A chiral photochromic Schiff base: (R)-4-methoxy-2-[(1-phenylethyl)iminomethyl]phenol

Abstract

The title chiral photochromic Schiff base compound, C16H17NO2, was synthesized from (R)-1-phenyl­ethyl­amine and 5-methoxy­salicylaldehyde. The mol­ecule of the title compound exists in the phenol–imine tautomeric form. The dihedral angle between the two aromatic rings is 62.61 (11)°. An intra­molecular O—H⋯N hydrogen bond with an O⋯N distance of 2.589 (2) Å is observed. The crystal packing is stabilized by C—H⋯π inter­actions involving the aromatic ring.