Free radical halogenation of 2, 9-dimethyl-l, lO-phenanthroline with N-bromosuccinimide and N-chlorosuccinimide form the known a-methyl derivatives 2, 9-bis (trihalomethyl)-l, lO- phenanthro-lines. The compound 2, 9-bis (trichloromethyl)-l, l0-phenanthroline can be used for one-step syntheses of oxidatively resistant fluoro-and partially reduced chloromethyl derivatives capable of coordination to metal oxidation catalysts.
