o-Bromobenzaldehydes undergo annulation with 1, 3-diaryl-2-propanones in the presence of a palladium catalyst to give the corresponding 1, 3-diaryl-2-naphthols in fair to good yields. From the reaction of the aldehydes with 2-substituted 2-alkenals are formed 2, 4- disubstituted 1-naphthols and/or 1, 3-disubstituted naphthalenes accompanied by decarbonylation.
[Wigal, Carl T.; McKinley, Jason D.; Coyle, Jennifer; Porter, Diane J.; Lehman, Daniel E. Journal of Organic Chemistry, 1995 , vol. 60, # 26 p. 8421 - 8423]