A three-dimensional framework of pi-stacked hydrogen-bonded chains in benzyl 4-chloro-3-nitrobenzoate, and chains of hydrogen-bonded rings in benzyl 4-nitrobenzoate, redetermined at 120 K.

Benzyl 4-chloro-3-nitrobenzoate, C14H10ClNO4, crystallizes with Z' = 2 in the space group P-1. The molecules are linked by three independent C-H...O hydrogen bonds into chains of edge-fused R(4)4 (26) and R(4)4 (34) rings, and these chains are linked into a three-dimensional framework structure by aromatic pi-pi stacking interactions. In benzyl 4-nitrobenzoate, C14H11NO4, the molecules are linked by two independent C-H...O hydrogen bonds into chains containing two types of R(2)2 (10) ring.