A new, general synthetic strategy for the regioselective synthesis of aromatic ketones of the 1-tetralone type is described. The synthetic methodology employs fused aromatic carboxylic acids as latent aromatic ketones via a simple reduction-oxidation sequence and is illustrated by the facile, high-yield conversion of 1, 8-and 4, 5-phenanthrenedicarboxylic acids into the angularly annelated 1, 8-diketo-2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7-and 4, 5-diketo-1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8- ...
