Friedel-Crafts reaction of fluorene with methyl ${\alpha}$-chloro-${\alpha}$-(methylthio)acetate 1 gave methyl $\alpha$-methylthio-2-fluoreneacetate 2. Cicloprofen 8, a potent antiinflammatory agent, was prepared by methylation of 2 followed by reductive desulfurization of methyl 2(2-fluorenyl)-2-(methylthio)propionate 6 and hydrolysis of methyl 2-(2-fluorenyl)propionate 7.