We have recently reported a new protocol for the synthesis of substituted 1,10-phenanthrolines 1, which serve as essentially universal ligands for metals, 1 by the de novo construction of the phenanthroline core (Scheme 1). 2 The approach is hinged upon the Ullmann intramolecular coupling of cis-1,2-bis(2-bromopyridin-3-yl)ethenes 2 that are in turn obtained by Wittig reaction of 2-bromonicotinaldehydes 3 with phosphonium salts 4 prepared from 2-bromo-3-( ...