1‑Oxo‑1<i>H</i>‑phenalene-2,3-dicarbonitrile Heteroaromatic Scaffold: Revised Structure and Mechanistic Studies

Abstract

Synthesis of the originally proposed 8-oxo-8<i>H</i>-acenaphtho­[1,2-<i>b</i>]­pyrrol-9-carbonitrile led to a structural revision, and the product has now been identified as unknown compound 1-oxo-1<i>H</i>-phenalene-2,3-dicarbonitrile. The structural assignment was corroborated by detailed NMR studies and unambiguously confirmed by X-ray diffraction. A mechanism is proposed to explain the formation of this original heterocyclic scaffold. In addition, some new chemical transformations involving this compound are presented