Molecules of 13H-dibenzo[a,i]fluoren-13-one, C21H12O, straddle a crystallog
raphic mirror plane and are essentially planar, with a dihedral angle of on
ly 1.9 (1)degrees between the two naphthalene ring systems. Repulsive intra
molecular C=O ... H interactions therefore do not explain the larger distor
tions found in isomeric ketones.