Crystal structure of (2E)-2-methoxyimino-2-{2-[(2-methylphenoxy)methyl]phenyl}-N′-(4-nitrobenzylidene)ethanohydrazide

The title compound crystallizes with the two molecules in the asymmetric unit (Z′ = 2) oriented almost perpendicular to each other [dihedral angle between the central core of each molecule = 77.95 (3)°]. The two molecules exhibit similar conformations with an extended structure and are linked by bifurcated hydrogen bonds into a ribbon along the a-axis direction.


Structural commentary
The title compound crystallizes with two molecules in the asymmetric unit (Z 0 = 2) labeled A and B and shown in Fig. 1. The two molecules exhibit similar conformations having an extended structure. In molecule A, the nitro group is coplanar with the p-nitrophenyl ring [deviations for N1A, O1A and O2A of 0.067 (2), 0.119 (2) and 0.089 (2) Å , respectively]. The ISSN 2056-9890 central ethane hydrazide moiety (N2A/N3A/C8A/O3A) is strictly planar with an r.m.s. deviation of 0.000 Å for the fitted atoms. The dihedral angles between this moiety and the adjacent aromatic are 18.99 (4) for the nitrobenzylidene ring (C1A-C6A) and 62.20 (4) for the benzene ring (C11A-C16A).
Molecules A and B are oriented almost perpendicular to each other, the dihedral angle between their central cores (atoms C7 N2 N3 and C8) being 77.95 (3) .
For both molecules, bond lengths and angles are all within the normal ranges; however, comparisons with similar molecules cannot be made as there are no similar overall structures although, of course, their fragments exist. The molecular structure of molecules A and B of the title compound, showing the atom labeling and displacement ellipsoids at the 30% probability level. Hydrogen bonds are shown as dashed lines. All H atoms, except those involved in hydrogen bonding, have been omitted for clarity. Table 1 Hydrogen-bond geometry (Å , ). Symmetry codes: (i) x þ 1 2 ; Ày þ 3 2 ; z þ 1 2 ; (ii) x þ 1; y; z; (iii) Àx; Ày þ 1; Àz þ 1.

Figure 2
Diagram showing the two molecules (A and B) linked by a bifurcated hydrogen bond between the N3A-H3A group and atoms O3B and N2B, and further linked into a ribbon along the a-axis direction by a bifurcated hydrogen bond between the N3B-H3B group and atoms O3A and N2A (generated by the symmetry operation x + 1, y, z).

Supramolecular features
The two independent molecules are linked by a bifurcated hydrogen bond (Table 1) between N3A-H3AÁ Á Á(O3B,N2B). The molecules are further linked into a ribbon along the a-axis direction a bifurcated N3B-H3BÁ Á Á(O3A,N2A)(x + 1, y, z) hydrogen bond involving the corresponding NH group in the other independent molecule, as shown in Fig. 2. C-HÁ Á ÁO interactions link the ribbons into a three-dimensional array.