The title compound, [Ge(CH3)3(C7H5O2)], was obtained as a by-product in the synthesis of the corresponding aldehyde. Two slightly different mol-ecules are present in the asymmetric unit. In both mol-ecules, 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) Å in the first mol-ecule, this distance is increased to 0.210 (4) Å in the second. In the crystal structure, centrosymmetric O-H⋯O hydrogen-bonded dimers are formed. The title compound is isostructural with the Si analogue [Haberecht et al. (2004 ▶). Acta Cryst. E60, o329-0330].
Keywords: 4-(trimethylgermyl)benzoic acid; crystal structure; germanium; hydrogen bonding.