The title mol-ecule, C(22)H(16)N(2)O(4), is a 2,2'-disubstituted biphenyl whose phenyl-ene rings are rotated by 66.5 (1)° so as to avoid repulsion by the substituents. Only one of the two amide -NH- fragments engages in hydrogen bonding, and this inter-acts with the amido -C(=O)- acceptor of an inversion-related mol-ecule to generate a hydrogen-bonded dimer.