The newly prepared diethyl 2,3-dioxopentanedioate-2-arylhydrazones exist pr
edominantly in the keto-hydrazone form stabilized by hydrogen-bonding betwe
en NH and ketonic CO resulting in a six-membered ring system. Effects of su
bstituents and solvents on the charge transfer electronic band have been st
udied, Transition energy, oscillator strength and ionization potential valu
es are reported.