Fluorenone is an organic compound with the chemical formula , and is a ketone with a fluorene moiety. It is a bright yellow, fluorescent solid.
It is synthesised by aerobic oxidation of fluorene:
Fluorenone sustains up to four nitro groups giving 2,4,5,7-tetranitrofluorenone.
Several substituted fluorenones are biologically active as antibiotic, anticancer, antiviral, or neuromodulatory compounds.
Some substituted azafluorenones are biologically active, such as the naturally occurring antimicrobial compound onychine (1-methyl-4-azafluorenone). The compound 1,8-diazafluoren-9-one is used for fingerprint detection.
Fluorenone is used to synthesize: