Derivatization of sumanenetrione through Lewis acid-mediated Suzuki-Miyaura coupling and an unprecedented ring opening.

A series of sumanenetrione derivatives were synthesized through Lewis acid-mediated Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling. Their optical properties reflected the significantly strong electron-accepting ability of sumanenetrione. The bowl strain of the 2-hydroxyphenyl derivative brought the ring-opening response adjacent to the substituent even at room temperature without any activation, which generally requires harsh conditions.