Two 9‐[(E)‐nitrophenylvinyl]‐9H‐carbazoles

The crystal structures of 9‐[(E)‐(4‐nitrophenyl)vinyl]‐9H‐carbazole and 9‐[(E)‐(3‐nitrophenyl)vinyl]‐9H‐carbazole, both C₂₀H₁₄N₂O₂, are determined mainly by van der Waals forces and π–π interactions between the carbazole and benzene systems. However, the packing modes are different. In the 4‐nitro derivative, the molecules in the weakly bound stack are related by a unit‐cell translation, while in the 3‐nitro derivative there are centrosymmetric pairs of molecules joined by π–π interactions and also pairs of molecules, related by another centre of symmetry, connected by eight relatively short C—H...O interactions.