CONCERNING THE REACTION OF (10-DIAZO-10H-ANTHRACEN-9-YLIDENE)-MALONODINITRILE AND RELATED-COMPOUNDS WITH THE CRYPTOHYDRIDE SYSTEM FORMIC ACID-TRIETHYLAMINE

The reaction of (10-diazo-10H-anthracen-9-ylidene)-malonodinitrile (1) with the cryptohydride system formic acid - triethylamine was studied . The reaction product turned out to be anthracen-9-yl-acetonitrile (2 a) instead of the expected 10-dicyanomethyl-9,10-dihydro-anthracene-9- yl formate. Compounds related to 1 yielded in this reaction the corres ponding 10-substituted anthracen-9-yl-acetonitriles. A mechanism of th is reaction is proposed. The product of the formic acid promoted decom position of 1, compound 3b, as well as its tautomer 4b were also obtai ned.