Bromination of deactivated polycyclic aromatic nitro compounds

Bromination of 2,7-dinitro-9,10-phenanthrenequinone, 2,5-dinitro-9,10- phenanthrenequinone, and 2,4,7-trinitrofluorenone with bromine in concentrated sulfuric acid in the presence of acetic acid gave, respectively, 4-bromo-2,7-dinitro-9,10-phenanthrenequinone, 2-bromo-4,7-dinitro-9,10- phenanthrenequinone, and 5-bromo-2,4,7-trinitrofluorenone. No bromination occurred in the absence of nitric acid. The same brominated polynitro compounds can be obtained under analogous conditions directly from unsubstituted 9,10-phenanthrenequinone and fluorenone. © 2013 Pleiades Publishing, Ltd.