Data articleEthyl 2-(4-fluorobenzylidene)-3-oxobutanoate: Synthesis, crystal structure and antimicrobial activities

Ethyl 2-(4-fluorobenzylidene)-3-oxobutanoate was synthesized by Knoevenagel condensation reaction of 4-fluorobenzaldehyde and ethyl acetoacetate in the presence of catalytic amount of piperidine and trifluoroacetic acid in benzene under reflux conditions. The structure of the synthesized molecule was obtained by spectral studies and was confirmed by X-ray diffraction studies. The title compound crystallizes in the monoclinic crystal system under the space group P21/n. The structure adopts a Z conformation about the CC bond. The synthesized new molecule was evaluated in vitro for its antifungal and antimicrobial susceptibilities.