3-methylsulfinyl-2-phenyl-1-benzofuran

The title compound, C15H12O2S, was prepared by the oxidation of 3-methylsulfanyl-2-phenyl-1-benzofuran with 3-chloroperoxybenzoic acid. The phenyl ring makes a dihedral angle of 37.65 (8)degrees with the plane of the benzofuran fragment. The O atom and the methyl group of the methylsulfinyl substituent lie on opposite sides of the plane of the benzofuran ring system. The crystal structure is stabilized by aromatic pi-pi interactions between the benzene rings of neighbouring molecules [centroid-centroid distance = 3.549 (2) angstrom] and by intermolecular C-H center dot center dot center dot O interactions.