A Versatile Synthesis for New 9,10- Bis(4-alkoxyphenyl)-2,7-diiodophenanthrenes: Useful Precursors for Conjugated Polymers

A practical synthesis for 9,10-bis(alkoxyphenyl)-2,7-diiodophenanthrenes is described. 9,10-Bis(4-hexyloxyphenyl)-2,7-diiodophenanthrene was selectively obtained by a one-pot reaction of 10,10-bis-(4-hexyloxy-phenyl)-2,7-diiodo-10H-phenanthren-9-one with 1 equiv of triethylsilane in trifluoroacetic acid. The target molecular architecture was demonstrated to be a useful precursor for obtaining the corresponding poly- (phenanthrene) and poly(phenanthrylene-vinylene).