Ethyl (E)-3-(anthracen-9-yl)prop-2-enoate

In the asymmetric unit of the title compound, C19H16O2, there are two symmetry-independent molecules (A and B) that differ in the conformation of the ester ethoxy group. In the crystal, the molecules form inversion dimers via pairs of C—H...O interactions. Within the dimers, the anthracenyl units have interplanar distances of 0.528 (2) and 0.479 (2) for dimers of molecules A and B, respectively. Another short C—H...O contact between symmetry-independent dimers links them into columns parallel to [10-1]. These columns are arranged into (111) layers and there are π–π stacking interactions [centroid–centroid distances = 3.6446 (15) and 3.6531 (15) ] between the anthracenyl units from the neighbouring columns. In addition, there are C—H...π interactions between the anthracenyl unit of dimers A and dimers B within the same column.