Diethyl piperazine‐1,4‐diyldioxalate

The ethyl oxamate group, N–C(O)–C(O)–OEt, in the title compound, alternatively called diethyl N,N′:N,N′‐bis(ethylene)dioxamate, C₁₂H₁₈N₂O₆, can be considered as being composed of two singly bonded amide and ester functionalities. The ethyl oxamate group is not planar. The two carbonyl groups are almost perpendicular, with an oxalyl O=C—C=O torsion angle of −111.34 (17)°. The mol­ecule is located on an inversion centre. Infinite supramolecular tapes, propagating along the b axis, are formed through soft C—H⋯O interactions which form a centrosymmetric R(12) motif.