Ethyl 2-benzyl-2-nitro-3-phenylpropanoate

The title compound, C18H19NO4, is the key synthetic intermediate in the preparation of α,α-di­benzyl-α-amino acid (di­benzyl­glycine, Dbg), the disubstituted homologue of phenyl­alanine, following the di­alkyl­ation of ethyl nitro­acetate. The mol­ecule does not have its potential mirror symmetry in the crystal, with the two benzyl groups forming N—C—C—C torsion angles of 60.31 (13) and 79.89 (13)°.