Palladium-mediated total synthesis of 2-styrylbenzoic acids: a general route to 2-azachrysenes

We describe a new total synthesis of 2-styrylbenzoic acids by Heck coupling of methyl o-iodobenzoates to styrenes. Additionally, in the first general synthesis of naphtho[2,1-f]isoquinolines, these acids were transformed into phenanthrenoic acids and thence into the target compounds by a six-step sequence including a Bischler–Napieralski cyclization.