A convenient and economic method for the synthesis of monohydroxy-pentaalkoxy- and hexaalkoxytriphenylene discotics

A one-step process for the preparation of mono-functionalized triphenylene discotics is presented. Oxidative trimerization of ortho-dialkoxybenzenes using FeCl3 in nitromethane and a catalytic amount of various acids, furnished monohydroxy-pentaalkoxytriphenylene in addition to hexaalkoxytriphenylene. These products can be easily separated by column chromatography over aluminium oxide.