The reaction of naphthalenes with malonic acid in the presence of manganese (III) acetate gives naphthalenecarbaldehydes and naphthalenecarboxylic acids. Similar reactions of anthracene, pyrene, and methoxybenzenes also yield formylated and carboxylated products. It was found that the formyl group introduced to the aromatic ring was not derived from carboxymethyl radical generated directly by the thermolysis of manganese (III) ...
