Phenylcinnamalones. III. Basic hydrolysis of phenylcinnamalone

Reaction of phenylcinnamalone(I) with ethanolic KOH yields an orange-colored acid(II) with a molecular formula C/sub 30/H/sub 18/O/sub 3/. Infrared and proton magnetic resonance spectral data indicated that the molecular structure is that of 6-(o-carboxyphenyl)-5-phenyl-11H-benzo (a) fluoren-11-one and that it is a monobasic acid. Possible mechanisms for the conversion of I to II are considered. (BLM)