A facile approach for the synthesis of 14-aryl- or alkyl-14H-dibenzo[aj]xanthenes under solvent-free condition

A facile, efficient and environment-friendly protocol for the synthesis of 14-aryl- or alkyl-14H-dibenzo[aj]xanthenes has been developed by one-pot condensation of 2-naphthol with aliphatic and aromatic aldehydes in the presence of P2O5 or InCl3 as catalysts under solvent-free conditions. The present approach offers the advantages of clean reaction, simple methodology, short reaction time, high yield, easy purification, and economic availability of the catalyst. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.