2, 7-Dihydroxy-9-fluorenol (9), 2, 7-dimethoxy-9-fluorenol (10), and 2, 7-dimethoxy-9- acetoxyfluorene (11) were prepared and their photochemistry was studied in methanol and aqueous methanol solution in the hopes of observing efficient expulsion of the substituents positioned at the 9-position. For all three compounds, the primary photoproducts were 2, 7- disubstituted-9-fluorenes and 2, 7-disubstituted-9-methoxyfluorenes. A mechanism of ...