The title compound, C 10 H 6 N 2 O 4 , belongs to a series of N -arylmaleimides, which can be used as photoinitiators for free-radical polymerization. The dihedral angles between the planes of the benzene and imide rings are 56.2 (1) and 52.9 (1)° in the two independent molecules in the asymmetric unit.