2,3-Disubstituted indenones .1a-e, possessing substituents of electron dono
r or electron acceptor type localised in p-position of the phenyl group, ar
e converted into the corresponding 3-cyano-1-indanones 2a-e by the action o
f KCN and (NH4)(2) CO3. The structure of the products 2a-e have been confir
med by spectral analysis.