The core of the molecule is a benzene ring with two para substituents.

- One substituent is a straight n-heptyl chain (-CH2-(CH2)5-CH3).

- The other substituent is an imidic acid fragment, corresponding to the formimidic acid tautomer of formamide. In this fragment, the nitrogen atom attaches directly to the ring and is double-bonded to a one-carbon unit. That carbon bears both a single hydrogen and a terminal hydroxyl group (-OH).