Tricarbon­yl[η⁴-2-phen­yl-4-(3-phenyl­allyl­idene)-4H-oxazol-5-one]iron(0)

The title compound, [Fe(C₁₈H₁₃NO₂)(CO)₃], is produced by the reaction of Fe₂(CO)₉ with an azlactone obtained from hippuric acid and cinnamaldehyde. Although, in principle, various coordination sites are possible in the ligand, the 1,3-butadiene subunit exclusively binds to the transition metal in an η⁴-fashion. The crystal structure is stabilized by inter­molecular inter­actions between the O atoms of the lactone and terminal carbon monoxide ligands and various CH groups.