The crystal and molecular structures are reported for two isomeric imidazoles: 1-methyl-2-phenylimida-zole ( 1 ) and 1-methyl-4-phenylimidazole ( 2 ). In molecule 2 the phenyl ring is rotated by 7.3° from the het-erocyclic plane due to steric interactions. The steric congestion is much more severe in 1 , with the adjacent methyl and phenyl substituents mininizing nonbonded interactions via a 32.3° rotation of the phenyl ring and a 0.159 Å displacement of the methyl carbon from the heterocyclic plane.