As starting material for the synthesis of new cumpounds wtlricb might possess oetrogeriic attivity, we were irl need of several of the phen-anthrols. While aU five of the possible mono- hydroxyphenanthrenes are known, heretofore thm has been no satisfactory method of preparing the 1-and 4-isomers. The total synthesis of 1-and 4methoxyphenanthrene by Pschorr's method2 can hardly be considered for large scale preparation. The synthesis of ...