Synthetic and mechanistic studies related to dearylative annellations

ORGN 798

Douglas A. Klumpp, dklumpp@niu.edu and Ang Li. Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, IL 60115
We have studied ring-forming reactions in which arene elimination provides a new aromatic ring system (eqs 1-2). These dearylative annellations can involve dicationic or monocationic intermediates, being promoted by solid and liquid acids. Besides condensed-phase reactions, these conversions can occur in the gas-phase over solid acids. A wide variety of condensed aromatic system can be prepared by this chemistry. The results of these studies will be presented.