Abstract 5, 12-Diazadibenz [a, h] anthracene (20) was synthesized in 21% overall yield for seven steps. Salient features of the synthesis include the initial, one-step conversion of trans, trans-1, 4-bis-(β-nitrovinyl) benzene into 2, 2 ″-dinitro-p-terphenyl by Diels-Alder condensation plus elimination, monocyclization of the derived 2, 2 ″-diformylamino-p- terphenyl to give 8-(2-amino-1-phenyl)-phenanthridine (10) in the presence of fortified ...