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9-(Chloromethyl)anthracene is used as a blocking group reagent used for carboxylic acids, phenols, mercaptans and thiophenols. It is a derivatizing agent for carboxylic acids giving esters with enhanced UV and fluorescence detection in HPLC.

9-Anthracenylmethyl Chloride is a derivative of Anthracene which is an important source of dyestuffs. It is a reagent for the protection of carboxylic acids, alcohols, phenols and thiols as their 9-anthrylmethyl derivatives, which are stable to mild acid or base, but specifically cleaved by NaSMe.

Lepidopterene, a tetrabenzotetracyclotetradecatetraene, was first synthesized by reaction of 9-(chloromethyl)anthracene with methylmagnesium iodide. Through this methodology, lepidopterene and 1,2-bis(9-anthracenyl)ethane were obtained in 35% and 30% yield, respectively.

An easy synthesis of lepidopterene from 9-chloromethylanthracene

If it is free from OH in the IR then recrystallisation from hexane/*C6H6 or *C6H6 (as needles). If OH is present, then some solvolysis has occurred. In this case treat 8.5g of it with SOCl2 (4.8g) in dioxane (60mL) and reflux for 5hours, then evaporate to dryness and wash the residue with cold *C6H6 and recrystallise it. With KI/Me2CO it forms the iodomethyl derivative. [Fierens et al. Helv Chim Acta 38 2009 1955, Hunter et al. J Org Chem 21 1512 1956, Beilstein 5 III 3152, 5 IV 2313.]