A one-step method is used to synthesize 9-fluorene methanol, using dimethyl sulfoxide as a solvent and a solid base as a catalyst to react with ethyl formate to produce intermediate fluorene formaldehyde, which is then reduced to fluorene methanol with paraformaldehyde. Compared with the two-step method, the intermediate product 9-fluorene formaldehyde does not need to be separated, which greatly simplifies the process and shortens the reaction period. The use of safe and inexpensive solid bases as catalysts not only meets safety requirements, but also greatly reduces synthesis costs, which has certain research value.
