The experimental charge-density distribution in 2-methyl-1,3-cyclopentanedione in the crystal state was analyzed by synchrotron X-ray diffraction data collection at 0.33 Å resolution. The molecule in the crystal is in the enol form. The experimental electron density was refined using the Hansen-Coppens multipolar model and an alternative modeling, based on spherical atoms and additional charges on the covalent bonds and electron lone-pair sites. The crystallographic refinements, charge-density distributions, molecular electrostatic potentials, dipole moments and intermolecular interaction energies obtained from the different charge-density models were compared. The experimental results are also compared with the theoretical charge densities using theoretical structure factors obtained from periodic quantum calculations at the B3LYP/6-31G** level. A strong intermolecular O-H···O hydrogen bond connects molecules along the [001] direction. The deformation density maps show the resonance within the O=C-C=C-OH fragment and merged lone pair lobes on the hydroxyl O atom. This resonance is further confirmed by the analysis of charges and topology of the electron density.
Keywords: bond scatterers; electron lone pairs; resonance-assisted hydrogen bond; virtual atoms model; β-diketoalkanes.