Inversion dimers dominate the crystal packing in the structure of trimethyl citrate (trimethyl 2-hy-droxy-propane-1,2,3-tri-carboxyl-ate).

Trimethyl citrate, CHO (systematic name: trimethyl 2-hy-droxy-propane-1,2,3-tri-carboxyl-ate), , was prepared by the esterification of citric acid and methanol in the presence of thionyl chloride at 273 K. The bond lengths and angles in compare closely with those observed in citric acid. The C-C bonds adjacent to the terminal carboxyl groups are significantly shorter than those around the central C atom.