Site-selective synthesis of functionalized dibenzo[<i>f</i>,<i>h</i>]quinolines and their derivatives involving cyclic diaryliodonium salts <i>via</i> a decarboxylative annulation strategy

Abstract

Here we report a site-selective synthesis of functionalized dibenzo[f,h]quinolines and their derivatives, which could be used as OLED materials. The key step is the double cross coupling reaction between the 2-chloropyridinyl acids and the cyclic diaryliodonium salts, where the carboxylic acid was unprecedentedly employed as both a traceless directing group and a functional handle in a one-pot atom- and step-economical process.