X-ray crystal structure determinations together with density functional theory (DFT) calculations in vacuo and NMR studies in solution have been carried out for 4-MeOC 6 H 4 CONPr i OH 2a and 3,5-(NO 2 ) 2 C 6 H 3 CONPr i OH 2b. The results were compared with that for the respective N-methyl benzohydroxamic acids. For crystal structures as well as for DFT-optimized geometries of 2 (both isomers) in vacuo, the effect of substituents in aromatic ring manifested by changing of charges is inconspicuous. Studies of potential energy surfaces showed that libration barrier around x 1 = 0°is low enough to make electron conjugation feasible, and that for 2b rotation barrier around C(O)N bond is higher by 6 kcal/mol and additionally, that rotation around N-C bond is hindered. A careful analysis of lowtemperature 1 H NMR spectra confirmed the greater stability of Z-2a, the greater rigidity of E-2b and the influence of solvent on both isomers population. Despite solventdependent conformational alteration, both 2a and 2b crystallize exclusively as E isomers from ethyl acetate solution. Correlations of absolute 1 H, 13 C, and 15 N shielding calculations with experimental data were also analyzed.Keywords Hydroxamic acids Á X-ray structure Á DFT calculations Á Substituent effects Á Conformations Á Absolute nuclear shieldings Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (