Synthesis of 9,10-Dibenzoyl-phenanthrene Derivatives Through a Palladium-Catalyzed Domino Approach

A palladium-catalyzed domino approach toward synthetically challenging phenanthrene derivatives has been developed. The procedure involves a sequence of oxidative homocoupling, cyclization, and oxidation starting from deoxybenzoin derivatives halogenated in the ortho position. Good assembly efficiency and good functional group tolerance have been observed with yields from moderate to excellent. A plausible reaction mechanism has been proposed based on experimental results and literature data.