Abstract Reformatsky reactions between 3.4-dihydro-1 (2H)-phenanthrenone (5) and ethyl α- bromoacetate or propanoate yield several unsaturated esters which, upon aromatization followed by saponification, lead to the 1-phenanthrylacetic (1) and 2-(1-phenanthryl) propanoic (2) acids, whose analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties were measured and found comparable to those of Fenbufen.
![4-[1]naphthyl-butyric acid methyl ester Structure](https://image.chemsrc.com/caspic/409/112468-00-5.png)