Modular synthesis of phenanthro[9,10-c]thiophenes by a sequence of C-H activation, suzuki cross-coupling and photocyclization reactions.

A total number of 15 different 3,4-diarylthiophenes were synthesized, which bear a chlorine atom in ortho-position of one of the aryl substituents. One aryl group was introduced by an oxidative cross-coupling reaction, involving a CH activation at C4(3) of the thiophene core. The other aryl group was in most cases introduced by a Suzuki cross-coupling reaction, which succeeded the oxidative cross-coupling step. Photocyclization reactions of the 3,4-diarylthiophenes were performed in a solvent mixture of benzene and acetonitrile (50:50 v/v) at λ=254 nm and proceeded to the title compounds in yields of 60-82 %. The selectivity of the photocyclization was determined at the ortho-chloro-substituted aryl ring by the position of the chlorine substituent. At the other ring, a single regioisomer was observed for phenyl and para-substituted phenyl groups. For 2-naphthyl and ortho-substituted phenyl rings a clear preference was observed in favor of a major regioisomer, while meta-substitution in the phenyl ring led to a about 1:1 mixture of 5- and 7-substituted phenanthro[9,10-c]thiophenes. Mechanistically, the photocyclization is likely to occur as a photochemically allowed, conrotatory [(4n+2)π] process accompanied by elimination of HCl. It was shown for two phenanthro[9,10-c]thiophene products that they can be readily brominated in positions C1 and C3 (74-77 %), which in turn allows for further functionalization at these positions, for example, in the course of halogen-metal exchange and polymerization reactions.