The asymmetric unit of the title compound, C(10)H(6)N(2)O(2), contains two independent mol-ecules. The dihedral angles between the acetonitrile and the 1H-isoindole-1,3(2H)-dione units are 69.0 (7)° and 77.0 (5)° in the two mol-ecules. One of the two terminal N atoms is disordered over two positions in a 0.66 (8):0,34 (8) ratio. In the crystal structure, the mol-ecules are linked by inter-molecular C-H⋯O hydrogen bonds.