The effect of content of water on the yield of 2-phenylbenzmide by using sodium amide to cleave fluorenone was studied. Fluorenone dissolved in toluene was dried by azeotropic distillation to decrease content of water in system to below 0. 1 %. h was then reacted with commercial sodium amide, the molar ratio of fluorenone to sodium amide was 1: 1. 9, the temperature was 95 T and the reaction time was 4h, the yield of 2-phenylbenzamide was over 90%.