4'-(Dimethylamino)-2-nitroazobenzene

The title compound, C₁₄H₁₄N₄O₂, has trans geometry about the azo linkage. The dihedral angle between the two phenyl rings is 5.3 (2)° and the twist angle for the nitro group is 63.9 (2)°. The molecular skeleton excluding the nitro group is almost planar, which may enhance the photostability of the compound. Within the crystal structure, molecules related by a glide plane are connected by weak intermolecular hydrogen bonding and form zigzag chains in the [001] direction. The polar molecular chains, which are arranged anti-parallel, are packed into stacks in the [101] direction through π...π interactions; the interstack forces are mainly van der Waals interactions.

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