Acetyltrimethylsilane mediated synthesis of dihydrophenanthrenes

An easy and efficient synthesis of phenanthrene derivatives through base catalyzed ring transformation of 4-sec-amino-2-oxo-5,6-dihydro-2H-benzo[h]chromene-3-carbonitriles with acetyltrimethylsilane is described in good yields. The advantage of this reaction is the direct transformation of 2-oxobenzo[h]chromene into phenanthrene via C–C insertion from acetyltrimethylsilane.