Yamamoto Coupling for the Synthesis of Benzophenes and Acene-Based Cyclooctatetraenes.

Two TIPS-ethynylated dibromoacenes were used in a shotgun Yamamoto-reaction with 1,2-dibromobenzene or 4,5-dibromoveratrol. Four soluble benzononaphenes/benzoundecaphenes were isolated in satisfactory yields. Examples of tetracene- and pentacene-fused tetrabenzocyclooctatetraenes also isolated from this reaction are reported. All compounds were characterized by UV/Vis and fluorescence spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, X-ray crystallography as well as DFT and NICS calculations.