Formation of Bifluorenylidene from 9-Mercaptofluorene via a Sulfide Autoxidation-Anionic Autoxidation-Elimination Sequence

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0040-4039(95)01791-F

Bifluorenylidene 1 was formed quantitatively when 9-mercaptofluorene 3 was treated with base and exposed to air.The initial step was established to be an intermolecular autoxidation of sulphide ion to form the disulphide 6.An intramolecular autoxidation of the dianion 8 derived from 6 was expected to afford a 1,2-dithietane derivative 9 which eliminated sulphur to give bifluorenylidene 1.