THE REACTION OF BENZOYL CHLORIDE AND ETHYL BENZOATE WITH SOME ALKALI METAL SALTS OF FLUORENE

In hydrocarbon or ether solvents, the sodium or potassium salt of fluorene or of 9-benzoylfluorene reacts with an equimolar amount of benzoyl chloride to form 9,1′-benzoyloxybenzylidenefluorene (I). The reaction of equimolar quantities of the lithium salt of fluorene or of 9-benzoylfluorene and benzoyl chloride in ether solvents gives rise to a mixture of 9,9-dibenzoylfluorene (II) and 9,1′-benzoyloxybenzylidenefluorene (I), but in hydrocarbon solvents produces only 9,9-dibenzoylfluorene (II).Only 9-benzoylfluorene is isolated from the reactions of the monometal salts of fluorene or of 9-benzoylfluorene with ethyl benzoate.