5-Iodo-3-phenyl-2,1-benzoxazole

The title compound, C₁₃H₈INO, was prepared by a condensation reaction of 4-nitro­benzene with phenyl­acetonitrile in NaOH–ethanol solution. There are two independent mol­ecules in the asymmetric unit, in which the dihedral angles between the benzene ring and the benzoisoxazole unit are 4.2 (3) and 4.1 (3)°. The crystal packing is governed by C—H...N, C—I...π and C—I...O inter­actions.