2,5,7-trimethyl-3-phenylsulfonyl-1-benzofuran

The title compound, C17H16O3S, was prepared by the oxidation of 2,5,7-trimethyl-3-phenylsulfanyl-1-benzofuran with 3-chloroperoxybenzoic acid. The phenyl ring exhibits a dihedral angle of 81.16 (4)degrees with the plane of the benzofuran fragment. The crystal structure is stabilized by pi-pi interactions between the furan and benzene rings of neighbouring molecules [centroid-centroid distance = 3.874 (2) angstrom] and by C-H center dot center dot center dot pi interactions between a phenyl H atom of the phenylsulfonyl substituent and the furan ring of adjacent molecules. In addition, the crystal structure exhibits intra- and intermolecular C-H center dot center dot center dot O interactions.