The condensation of 9-cyanofluorene (I) with 3-(dimethylamino)propyl chloride (II) by means of sodium amide in refluxing THF gives 9-[3-(dimethyl amino)propyl]-9-cyanofluorene (III), which is hydrolyzed partially with hot sulfuric acid water.
The condensation of fluorene-9-carboxamide (IV) with acrylonitrile (V) by means of benzyltrimethylammonium hydroxide (VI) in hot dioxane gives 9-carbamoyl-9-(2-cyanoethyl)fluorene (VII), which is then hydrogenated and condensed with isopropylamine (VIII) and H2 over PtO2 with the same isopropylamine (VIII) as solvent.