The direct reaction of alkali metals with certain aromatic hydrocarbons has been reported previously in the literature, the reaction of sodium with anthracene in ethyl ether solution1 being an example. Efforts to extend this reaction to simpler hydrocarbons such as naphthalene and diphenyl have met with very limited success. Schlenk and Bergmann were able to cause lithium to react with these hydrocarbons to a sufficient extent to make some examination of the products2 but reported no detectable reaction with sodium under similar conditions.
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