(E)-4-[(1-Benzyl-4-benzylidene-2,5-dioxopyrrolidin-3-yl)methyl]benzaldehyde 0.25-hydrate

The crystal structure of the title compound, C26H21NO3·0.25H2O, reveals one stereogenic centre in the molecule. Nevertheless, due to the observed centrosymmetric space group, both enantiomers are present in the crystal packing. The water molecule of crystallisation is located on a crystallographic inversion center. The molecule contains one five-membered ring (A) and three six-membered rings (benzyl ring B, benzylidene ring C and formylbenzyl ring D). All four rings are not coplanar: the dihedral angles between rings A and B, A and C, and A and D are 70.35 (9), 33.8 (1) and 60.30 (9)°, respectively. In the crystal, pairs of weak C—H...O interactions lead to the formation of centrosymmetric dimers. Additional C—H...O interactions link the dimers into chains along [011].