(Z)-1-(2-Hy­droxy­eth­yl)-4-(2-meth­oxy­benzyl­idene)-2-methyl-1H-imidazol-5(4H)-one

In the title compound, C₁₄H₁₆N₂O₃, an analog of the chromophore in green fluorescent protein, the meth­oxy­phenyl substituent and the imidazole N adopt a Z conformation with respect to the C=C bond. Aside from the hy­droxy­ethyl group, the mol­ecule is approximately planar, with the five- and six-membered ring planes forming a dihedral angle of 9.3 (1)°. An intra­molecular C—H...N contact occurs. In the crystal, O—H...N hydrogen bonds link the mol­ecules, forming chains along the b-axis direction. C—H...O hydrogen bonds are also observed.