J Org Chem. 2008 Mar 21;73(6):2424-7. doi: 10.1021/jo702422v. Epub 2008 Feb 27.
The Journal of organic chemistry
Eugeny A Lukhtanov, Alexei V Vorobiev
PMID: 18302409 DOI: 10.1021/jo702422v
Asymmetric fluoresceins bearing a carboxyethyl group in the chromophoric portion of the dyes were prepared by a reaction of substituted phthalic anhydride with a carboxyethyl substituted resorcinol analogue followed by a condensation with a second resorcinol analogue. In order to avoid an accumulation of symmetric side products, the second step was performed in two substeps: acid-catalyzed formation of a triphenylmethyl intermediate followed by base-catalyzed cyclization which furnished the desired dyes.