5,6-Dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline

In the title compound, C14H12N2, the N⋯N distance is 2.719 (1) Å. The N—C—C—N torsion angle [0.9 (1)°] is close to the ideal value of 0° as expected. Bond lengths and angles are consistent with those observed for [1,10]phenanthroline and coordinated 5,6 dimeth­yl[1,10]phenanthroline. In the crystal, C—H⋯N hydrogen bonds link the mol­ecules into C(4) chains running parallel to the b axis. Weak π–π inter­actions between benzene and pyridine rings [centroid–centroid distance = 3.5337 (7) Å] and between benzene rings [centroid–centroid distances = 3.6627 (7) and 3.8391 (7)Å] also occur