The title compound, C10H8N4, belongs to a series of conjugated molecul
es that offer potential utilization as organic dyes. As indicated by t
he planarity of the molecule and the pattern of bond lengths and angle
s, a considerable amount of pi-electron density is transferred from th
e dihydropyridineimine portion of the molecule to the cyano groups. Th
e principal packing interaction seems to be pi-pi stacking of the hete
rocyclic rings.