The synthesis of fused aromatic carbocycles from aryl iodides and difunctional acceptors is outlined. This methodology is based on a palladium-catalyzed aromatic substitution followed by an intramolecular Heck sequence. Under the optimized conditions (Pd (OAc) 2 (10 mol%), tri-2-furylphosphine (20-30 mol%), norbornene (2 equiv), Cs2CO3 (2 equiv), CH3CN, reflux), bromoenoates react with aryl iodides bearing numerous substituents (F, ...