Photochemical synthesis of heteroatom-containing polycyclic aromatic compounds

Anthra[2,1-b]furan, anthra[2,1-b]benzo[d]furan, anthra[2,1-b]thiophene, anthra[1,2-b]thiophene, anthra[2,1-b]benzo[d]thiophene, anthra[2,1-b]pyrrole and naphtho[2,3-c]carbazole derivatives were synthesized in fairly good yields by a one-pot photocycloaddition reaction of 2,3-disubstituted 1,4-naphthoquinone with 1,1-diarylethylene. This is the first reported synthesis of these aromatic compounds.