The base-catalysed ring fission of a series of substituted 2, 2-dihydroxyindane-1, 3-diones and phenalene-1, 3-dione has been studied in 30%(v/v) dioxane–water. The reaction proceeds in two distinct steps. The first is a relatively fast base-catalysed ring fission to give substituted o-carboxyphenylglyoxals, and the second is a rearrangement of the latter resulting in formation of substituted o-carboxymandelic acids. Rate coefficients for the ring ...
