1-(5,5-Dimethoxypentyl)-3-methylimidazolium-2-carboxylate

The title compound, C12H20N2O4, represents one example of a zwitterionic imidazolium salt with a carboxylate group at the 2-position of the imidazolium ring. The dihedral angle between the heterocyclic ring and the carboxylate group is 31.3 (1)degrees. The side chain linking the N atom of the ring and the methine C atom has a gauche-anti-anti conformation [torsion angles = -60.3 (2), -175.7 (2) and 178.7 (2) degrees, respectively]. In the crystal, molecules are linked by short C-H center dot center dot center dot O hydrogen bonds involving the C-H groups in the aromatic ring to generate (001) sheets.