A facile two-step synthesis of thiophene end-capped aromatic systems

Thiophene end-capped aromatic analogues, that is, naphthothiophenes, naphthodithiophenes, pyrenothiophene, and benzotrithiophene, can be prepared from commercially available hydroxyarenes in two steps, including (1) a consecutive acid-mediated nucleophilic aromatic substitution of hydroxyarenes with 2-mercaptoethanol, followed by cyclization to form an arene-fused dihydrothiophene, and (2) oxidation of the dihydrothiophene unit to thiophene. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.