Crystal structure of methyl (E)-2-(1-methyl-2-oxoindolin-3-yl­idene)acetate

The title compound, C(12)H(11)NO(3), is essentially planar, with the mean plane of the acetate side chain [–C—C(=O)—O—C] being inclined to the mean plane of the indole ring system by 12.49 (7)°. The five- and six-membered rings of the indole group are almost coplanar, making a dihedral angle of 1.76 (8)°. The conformation about the C=C bond is E and there is an intra­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bond present. In the crystal, mol­ecules are linked by pairs of C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds forming inversion dimers, with an R (2) (2)(16) ring motif. The dimers are linked by a second pair of C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, enclosing R (2) (2)(16) ring motifs, forming ribbons lying parallel to (-114). The ribbons are linked via C—H⋯π inter­actions, forming a three-dimensional structure.