Hypervalent iodine salt as an aryne synthon: An easy access to a tandem synthesis of 9-aryldihydrophenanthrenes with styrenes

Abstract

Here, we report an efficient and simple application of hyper valent iodine-based benzyne precursor, phenyl(mesityl)iodonium tosylate salt in the facile and metal free synthesis of 9-aryldihydrophenanthrenes, wherein the base induced ortho CH deprotonation of the iodonium salt followed by elimination of leaving group (LG) generates benzyne intermediate, and that react with diverse styrenes at ambient temperatures in situ by a tandem protocol to achieve substituted 9,10-dihydrophenanthrines with moderate to appreciable yields.