5-(2-Phenylethynyl)Isobenzofuran-1,3dione

The title compound, C16H8O3, was synthesized by the Pd-coupling reaction of phenylacetylene with 4-bromophthalic anhydride. The phenyl and isobenzofurane rings are nearly coplanar, forming a dihedral angle of 6.70 (10)degrees. In the crystal structure, centrosymmetrically related molecules are linked into dimers by C-H center dot center dot center dot O hydrogen bonds.