1-{4-Chloro-2-[2-(2-fluorophenyl)-1,3-dithiolan-2-yl]phenyl}-2-methyl-1H-imidazole-5-carbaldehyde

There are two molecules in the asymmetric unit of the title imidazole derivative, C20H16ClFN2OS2. In one molecule, the dithiolane ring is disordered over two positions in a 0.849 (9):0.151 (10) ratio. The imidazole ring makes dihedral angles of 79.56 (9) and 18.45 (9)degrees with the 4-chlorophenyl and 2-fluorophenyl rings, respectively, in one molecule; in the other molecule, the corresponding angles are 82.72 (9) and 17.39 (10)degrees. In the crystal, molecules are linked by weak C-H center dot center dot center dot O interactions and these linked molecules are stacked along the b axis by pi-pi interactions with a centroid-centroid distance of 3.4922 (11) angstrom. In addition, pi-pi interactions between the imidazole and 2-fluorophenyl rings are also observed, with centroid-centroid distances of 3.4867 (11) and 3.4326 (10) angstrom. The crystal is further consolidated by weak CH center dot center dot center dot pi interactions. Cl center dot center dot center dot S [3.5185 (8) angstrom], C center dot center dot center dot O [3.192 (3) angstrom] and C center dot center dot center dot C [3.326 (2)-3.393 (3) angstrom] short contacts are also observed.