Xanthones and acridones were synthesized from 3,4-difluoronitrobenzene and 2-fluorobenzaldehydes in two or three steps. The key step was nucleophilic aroylation catalyzed by imidazolidenyl carbene. The nucleophilic aroylation of 3,4-difluoronitrobenzene afforded 2,2'-difluoro-4-nitrobenzophenones. The cyclization of the difluorobenzophenones with O-nucleophile and N-nucleophile yielded 3-nitroxanthones and 3-nitroacridones, respectively. Indazole, quinolino[2,3-b]quinoxaline, and thianaphtho[2,3-b]quinoxaline derivatives were also synthesized via nucleophilic aroylation of 2,3-dichloroquinoxaline followed by cyclization with nucleophiles.
