Diethyl 2,2′-bipyridine-4,4′-dicarboxylate

The title bipyridine derivative, C16H16N2O4, crystallized with two half molecules in the asymmetric unit. The whole molecules (A and B) are generated by inversion symmetry with the mid-points of the bridging C—C bonds of the bipyridine units being located on crystallographic inversion centers. In the crystal, molecules are linked by C—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming sheets parallel to (120). The sheets are linked by C—H...N hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional framework.