Abstract
The title molecule, C17H13NO3, adopts a Z configuration about the central olefinic bond. The 2-phenyl ring is almost coplanar with the plane of the oxazolone ring system, making a dihedral angle of 2.03 (11)degrees. The crystal structure is stabilized by pi-pi interactions between the oxazolone ring and phenyl ring of a neighbouring molecule [centroid-centroid distance = 3.550 (3)angstrom], and by two weak intermolecular C-H center dot center dot center dot pi interactions. In addition, the crystal structure exhibits one weak intramolecular C-H center dot center dot center dot N hydrogen bond.