2-[2-nitro-4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]-1H-benz[de]isoquinoline-1,3(2H)-dione, 134.3 g. (0.347 m.), was hydrogenated at 55° C. in 600 ml. of glacial acetic acid with 15 g. of palladium-on-carbon (5 percent) at 60 psi. The temperature rose to about 100° C., and after 1.5 hours, three equivalents of hydrogen were absorbed with the temperature returning to room temperature. The reaction mixture was heated to boiling and filtered to remove the catalyst. Upon cooling, the precipitated product was collected and washed with 2B ethanol. Recrystallization from N,N-dimethylformamide yielded about 69.2 g. (59 percent yield) of 11-(trifluoromethyl)-7H-benzimidazo[2,1-a]benz[de]isoquinoline-7-one, m.p. about 212°-214° C.
