Synthesis of 1,2,5,6- and 1,4,5,8-Anthracenetetrone: Building Blocks for π-Conjugated Small Molecules and Polymers

Reliable reactions for the synthesis of two interesting anthracenetetrones have been identified and optimized. Both syntheses start from dihydroxy-9,10-anthraquinones and were selected for maximized efficiency and minimized work load. Work-up of all reactions can be achieved without column chromatography, which facilitates further scale-up. So far, both target compounds are considerably underexplored despite their promising molecular structure for use in devices and in organic synthesis, especially as building blocks for π-conjugated compounds. The crystal structure of 1,4,5,8-anthracentetrone is reported.