Synthesis of unsymmetrically substituted pyrene derivatives through (6-bromo-3,8-dibutylpyren-1-yl)trimethylsilane

A straightforward route to unsymmetrically functionalized pyrene derivatives is described involving the synthesis of key precursor (6-bromo-3,8-dibutylpyren-1-yl)trimethylsilane 1. In a first step bromide 1 was successful in Suzuki-Miyaura, Sonogashira, and Buchwald-Hartwig cross-coupling reactions. Subsequent transformation of the trimethylsilyl group to bromide enabled the introduction of a second variable functional group onto the pyrene skeleton.