The first oxidation product of vitamin C is dehydro-L-ascorbic acid, Cx2HlzO12, which is dimeric in the crystalline state. The molecular and crystal structure has been determined by means of three-dimensional X-ray data and the parameters have been refined to a final R index of 5.6 % for the observed reflexions. The monoclinic unit cell (space group C2) contains two molecules and has the lattice parameters a= 15-728, b= 5"530, c=9.453 A and fl= 130.56 °. The molecule has twofold symmetry and comprises a system of five fused rings; non-planar 7-1actone and furanose rings are attached to a central dioxan ring in the 'twisted boat' conformation. The C-O distances within the rings vary between 1.338 and 1.448 A, while the C-C distances have a mean value of 1.524/~. The external, axially bonded C-OH groups have relatively short C-O distances and contain, in addition to the carbonyl groups, the only oxygen atoms taking part in hydrogen bonding. Each molecule is linked to eight others by one such bond to each of them.