Abstract: | A series of phenolic and cis-dihydrodiol derivatives of 6-nitrobenzo[a] pyrene and 7-nitrobenz[a]anthracene were synthesized. The common structural feature of these compounds is that their nitro groups are perpendicular or near perpendicular to the aromatic moieties. From the synthesis of these compounds, it was found that an acetoxy group does not affect the regioselectivity of electrophilic nitration to a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) and that a nitro substituent can substantially reduce the concerted electrophilic 1,2-addition of osmium tetroxide to the most olefinic aromatic double bond of a PAH. |