LAUSR

Abstract The first direct synthesis of substituted anthracenes from o-tolualdehydes and aryl iodides via a Pd(II)-catalyzed C H arylation using an alcohol-bearing transient directing group and subsequent AgOTf-assisted electrophilic aromatic cyclization is described. New transient directing groups consisting of amino acids and amino alcohols enhanced the reactivity, and the C H arylation was complete in 12 h at 90 °C. By simply changing the silver salt to silver triflate, the one-pot synthesis of anthracene derivatives was carried out using the present reaction conditions.