The molecules of methyl 3-(2-nitrophenylhydrazono)butanoate, C(11)H(13)N(3)O(4), (I), and methyl 3-(2,4-dinitrophenylhydrazono)butanoate, C(11)H(12)N(4)O(6), (II), both prepared from methyl 3-oxobutanoate and the corresponding nitrophenylhydrazine, exhibit polarized molecular electronic structures; in each of (I) and (II), the molecules are linked into chains by a single C-H...O hydrogen bond. ...