The title compound, C21H14N2O2, was prepared by Pictet-Spengler cyclization of tryptamine and 4-formyl coumarin. In the mol-ecule, the dihedral angle between the mean planes of the coumarin and β-carboline ring systems is 63.8 (2)°. In the crystal, mol-ecules are linked via N-H⋯N hydrogen bonds, forming chains along the b-axis direction. Within the chains, there are a number of offset π-π inter-actions present [shortest inter-centroid distance = 3.457 (2) Å].
Keywords: coumarins; crystal structure; hydrogen bonding; norharman; β-carboline; π-π interactions.