The electrophilic substitution reactions and transformations involving the methylene group at C(9) have been studied rather thoroughly for the azafluorene isomers [1]. On the other hand, nucleophilic substitution into the pyridine fragment has hardly been investigated. Only the phenylation of 3-methyl-2-azafluorene by phenyllithium in ether has been studied [2]. This reaction proceeds at the free α-carbon atom to give 3-methyl-1- phenyl-2-azafluorene. We are the first to ...