Highly constrained 1, 8-diarylnaphthalenes exhibiting stability to isomerization have been prepared utilizing two consecutive CuO-promoted Stille cross-couplings of 1, 8- dibromonaphthalene and 4-alkyl-9-trimethylstannylacridines. Screening of Pd catalysts Pd (PPh3) 4, PdCl2dppf, or Pd2 (dba) 3/t-Bu3P and bases such as Cy2NMe, t-BuOK, K3PO4, and Cs2CO3 in DME or DMF revealed superior results of Stille over Suzuki coupling with ...