1,3‐Bis(4‐nitro­phenyl)­triazene

The structure of the title compound, C₁₂H₉N₅O₄, reveals an almost planar mol­ecule (r.m.s. deviation = 0.061 Å), in which the interplanar angle between the phenyl rings is 5.7 (1)° and the largest interplanar angle is that between the phenyl ring and the nitro group of one of the 4‐nitro­phenyl substituents 8.8 (3)°]. The observed mol­ecular conformation suggests a delocalization of π‐electrons extended over the diazo­amine group and the terminal aryl substituents. Intermolecular N—H?O interactions between the twofold screw‐related mol­ecules give rise to helical chains along the 010] direction. Intermolecular C—H?O interactions then generate sheets of mol­ecules in the (10) plane, and these sheets are held together by N?C and O?O π–π interactions.