Several pendant arenes, e.g. I (R = Me, MeO), were prepd. using a variety of Pd-catalyzed cross-coupling techniques. Under strongly acidic conditions, these arenes underwent double annulations to afford the corresponding polycyclic aroms., e.g. II, in good to excellent yields. The scope of this chem. also includes heteroarom. and heteroat. substituted bis(arylethynyl) arenes thus providing an electronically diverse array of extended arom. systems. [on SciFinder(R)]
