5-Nitro-1-benzofuran-2(3H)-one

In the crystal structure of the title compound, C₈H₅NO₄, essentially planar mol­ecules [largest deviation from the least-squares plane = 0.030 (2) Å] form stacks along the a-axis direction. Intercentroid separations between overlapping benzene rings within the stack are 3.6594 (12) Å and 3.8131 (12) Å. Mol­ecules from neighboring stacks are linked by weak C—H...O hydrogen bonds into inversion dimers.