Oxidation of o-benzoylbenzoic acid with lead tetra-acetate in benzene solution under nitrogen affords benzophenone, o-phenylbenzophenone, and fluorenone as major products. Their formation is readily explicable by the the formation of o-benzoylphenyl radicals. The decomposition of intermediate lead (IV) salts by way of a concerted cyclic mechanism is suggested for the formation of 3-phenylphthalide as the sole product of the oxidation of o-benzylbenzoic acid.
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Davies et al. (1968) studied this question.