Unexpected dipivaloyl­ation of 9‐li­thia­ted fluorene: formation of 1‐(fluoren‐9‐yl­idene)‐2,2‐di­methyl­propyl pivalate

Treatment of 9‐li­thia­ted fluorene with pivaloyl chloride provided ap‐9‐pivaloyl­fluorene, (1), the major product, and a minor product ultimately identified as the title compound, C₂₃H₂₆O₂, (2). The latter was also formed directly, but slowly, from 9‐li­thia­ted‐(1) treated with pivaloyl chloride. Although (1) exists exclusively as its less sterically restricted ap rotamer, its sp²‐hybridized anion sterically impedes reaction at the 9‐position from either face. While 9‐li­thia­ted‐(1) is exclusively, but slowly, 9‐methyl­ated with methyl iodide, reaction with pivaloyl chloride, also slow, leads only to the O‐acyl­ated product, (2). The protons of the tert‐butyl‐C=C moiety approach a proton on the fluorene ring to well within the sum of their van der Waals radii, resulting in significant molecular compression, strain and distortion. For example, distortion in the moiety C=C(O)(C) is exhibited by the enlargement of C=C—C angle to 130.6 (2)° at the expense of the corresponding `equivalent' C=C—O angle, which is compressed to 116.46 (19)°.