Abstract: A kinetic study of substituent effects on the acid-catalyzed cyclodehydration of 2- phenyltriarylcarbinols to the corresponding 9, 9-diarylfluorenes reveals that the rate- determining step depends on the nature of the substituents. One group of carbinols have rates which correlate best with c, have a large negative p (-2.51), and show a strong rate dependence on solvent acidity, a threefold rate enhancement in deuterated solvent, and ...