Synthesis and reduction of 9-(α-nitrophenacylidene)-4-azafluorene

Reaction of 9-phenacylidene-4-azafluorene with acetyl nitrate produces a mixture of geometric isomers of 9-(α-nitrophenacylidene)-4-azafluorene. The nitro group splits off upon reduction of the product in the system zinc-ammonia and zinc-acetic acid and on Raney nickel. Proceeding of the Henry retro-reaction has been pointed out. ©1999 KluwerAcademic/Plenum Publishers.