Diethyl 2,2′-(ethane-1,2-diyldioxy)dibenzoate

The molecular title compound, C20H22O6, was obtained by the reaction of ethyl 2-hydroxybenzoate with 1,2-dichloroethane. The molecule lies on a twofold rotation axis which passes through the middle of the central ethylene bridge. This group exhibits agaucheconformation with the corresponding O—C—C—O torsion angle being 73.2 (2)°. The C atoms of the carboxyl group, the aryl and the O—CH2group are coplanar, with an r.m.s. deviation of 0.01 Å. The two aryl rings form a dihedral angle of 67.94 (4)°. The ester ethyl group is disordered over two sets of sites with an occupancy ratio of 0.59 (2):0.41 (2). The crystal packing is dominated by van der Waals forces.