Decarbonylative/decarboxylative [4 + 2] annulation of phthalic anhydrides and cyclic iodoniums towards triphenylenes.

A palladium-catalyzed decarbonylative/decarboxylative [4 + 2] annulation of phthalic anhydrides with cyclic diaryliodonium salts to synthesize triphenylenes has been developed. The reaction shows broad substrate scope with a high yield of up to 99%, and it provides an efficient and fast way to access functionalized triphenylenes in only one hour.