A Brønsted acid-catalyzed highly efficient construction of substituted arylanthracenes and heteroacenes is described, which is assumed to be initiated through the facile formation of a benzylic cation intermediate. This method offers several advantages in comparison with known aromatic cyclodehydration reactions such as high selectivities, mild reaction conditions, and easily accessible starting materials.
![[2-[hydroxy-(4-methoxyphenyl)methyl]phenyl]-(4-methoxyphenyl)methanol Structure](https://image.chemsrc.com/caspic/151/6636-09-5.png)