Ethyl 5-ethoxy-3-methyl-1H-indole-2-carboxylate

The title compound, C14H17NO3, having an ethoxycarbonyl group at C2, serves as an important precursor in the synthesis of fused-indole heterocycles of biological importance. The indole moiety is planar and it forms dihedral angles of 2.3(1) and 3.9(1)degrees with the ethoxycarbonyl group at C2 and the ethoxy group at C5, respectively. The centrosymmetrically related molecules are held together by hydrogen bonds across a centre of symmetry and form dimers