Catalytic hydrogenation of 9H-fluorene (1), phenanthrene (2), 4H-cyclopenta[def ]phenanthrene (3), pyrene (4), and fluoranthene (5) was carried out over Raney nickel (W-7) at 323 K under 608 kPa of hydrogen. The order of the reaction rate was 5 > 4 > 3 > 2 > 1. The adsorption equilibrium constant of the substrates decreased in the order 4 ≥ 5 >> 2 > 3 >> 1.
The catalytic hydrogenation of 4H-cyclopenta[def]phenanthrene over Raney nickel afforded 8,9-dihydro-4H-cyclopenta[def]phenanthrene and 1,2,3,3a-tetrahydro derivative. Under these conditions, di- and tetrahydro compounds were reduced into two diastereomers, cis-3a-cis-9a- and trans-3a-cis-9a-1,2,3,3a,8,9,9a,9b-octahydro-4H-cyclopenta[def]phenanthrene. The reduction over palladium gave a dihydro compound