Abstract: | Halogenation of 6(5H)-phenanthridinone or its 3,8-dihalo derivatives with N-bromo or N-chlorosuccinimide in dimethylformamide gives the corresponding 2-halophenanthridinones (I,V,XI-XIV). Further halogenation of 2-halo-6(5H)-phenanthridinone with the appropriate N-halosuccinimide, in the same medium, gives the corresponding 2,4-dihalo derivatives (II,VI). NXS/DMF is found to be a very convenient halogenating system in these preparations. 1,3,8-Trihalo-6(5H)-phenanthridinones (XIX,XX) are prepared from the 1-nitro derivatives which are obtained by a Schmidt rearrangement of 2,7-dihalo-4-nitro-9-oxofluorenes. Similarly, rearrangement and further reaction of 2-nitro-5-chloro-9-oxofluorene (XXI) leads to 3,10-dichloro-6(5H)-phenanthridinone (XXIV). UV absorptions as well as selected IR absorptions of these 6(5H)-phenanthridinones are described. |