Highly efficient route to fused polycyclic aromatics via palladium-catalyzed aryne annulation by aryl halides

Polycyclic aromatic and heteroaromatic hydrocarbons have been synthesized in high yield by two different processes involving the Pd-catalyzed annulation of arynes. The first process involves a Pd-catalyzed annulation of arynes by 2-halobiaryls and related vinylic halides. The second process utilizes a Pd-catalyzed double annulation of arynes by simple aryl halides. Both processes appear to involve the catalytic, stepwise coupling of two very reactive substrates, an aryne and an organopalladium species, to generate excellent yields of cross-coupled products.