1-(4-Methoxyphenyl)-4-(4-methylphenyl)-3-phenoxyazetidin-2-one

The central beta-lactam ring of the title compound, C23H21NO3, is almost planar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.032 angstrom). The methoxybenzene ring is almost coplanar with the beta-lactam ring [dihedral angle = 1.87 (11)degrees], whereas the tolyl ring is almost normal to it [75.73 (12)degrees]. The dihedral angle between the beta-lactam ring and the O-bonded phenyl ring is 51.95 (12)degrees. An intramolecular C-H center dot center dot center dot O interaction generates an S(6) ring. The crystal structure features intermolecular C-H center dot center dot center dot O hydrogen bonds, forming layers parallel to (011), and weak C-H center dot center dot center dot pi interactions. Two aromatic pi-pi stacking interactions [centroid-centroid distances = 3.6744 (12) and 3.6799 (11) angstrom] are also observed.