Pyrene-2-carboxylic acid is a versatile intermediate for introducing the unusual 2-pyrenyl unit into functional organic molecules. A classical preparation for this molecule has been revised and improved to give a robust and efficient three-step process. The method has been applied on a multigram scale to give pyrene-2-carboxylic acid in >70% overall yield from pyrene.
Key words
condensed aromatic compounds - electrophilic aromatic substitution - ring closure - ring opening - Haller–Bauer cleavage