title: Ethyl 2-[(3-chloro-phen-yl)hydrazono]-3-oxobutanoate.
abstract: The mol-ecule of the title oxobutanoate derivative, C(12)H(13)ClN(2)O(3), adopts a keto-hydrazo tautomeric form and is roughly planar, the angle between the benzene ring and the mean plane through the hydrazone and aliphatic chain being 1.49 (6)°. This planarity is further aided by the formation of an intra-molecular N-H⋯O hydrogen bond which generates an S(6) ring motif. The aromatic ring and aliphatic chain have a trans configuration with respect to the N-N bond. In the crystal packing, centrosymmetric R(2) (2)(16) dimers are formed through pairs of weak C-H⋯O(3-oxo) inter-actions. These dimers are linked together through weak C-H⋯O(carboxyl-ate C=O) inter-actions into ribbons along the b-axis direction. These ribbons are stacked along the a-axis direction. The crystal also exhibits Cl⋯Cl [3.4988 (6) Å] and C⋯O [3.167 (2)-3.335 (2) Å] short contacts.
authors.forename: Hoong-Kun
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Fun
authors.forename: Mahesh
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Padaki
authors.lastname: Sowmya
authors.forename: Arun M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Isloor
authors.forename: Suchada
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chantrapromma