10.1016/0040-4039(91)80677-X
The research aims to develop a new method for converting dicarbonyl compounds into alkenes, specifically focusing on the synthesis of phenanthrenes from 2-(2-formylphenyl)benzaldehydes. The study explores various routes to achieve this transformation, including heating the dilithium or disodium salts of the bistosylhydrazones derived from the aldehydes. The researchers initially attempted methods such as the Bacon procedure and titanium coupling but faced challenges, especially with steric hindrance in the synthesis of 4,5-dimethoxyphenanthrene. They then explored the formation of bis-diazoalkanes from bistosylhydrazones, which upon heating, could cyclize to form phenanthrenes. Tosylhydrazine is used as a key reagent to convert the 2-(2-formylphenyl)benzaldehydes into their corresponding bistosylhydrazones. Sodium hydride (NaH) is employed to deprotonate the bistosylhydrazones, forming their sodium salts. The study concludes that this new method is effective for the preparation of sterically hindered phenanthrenes and represents a significant advancement in the field of alkene formation from dicarbonyl compounds.