Molecular iodine catalyzed synthesis of aryl-14H-dibenzo[a, j]xanthenes under solvent-free condition

Molecular iodine efficiently catalyzes the reaction of β-naphthol and araldehydes on a preheated hot plate at 90–95 °C to give biologically active aryl-14H-dibenzo[a, j]xanthenes under solvent-free condition. The yields are excellent and the reactions go to completion within 15–20 min.