The photoelectrocyclization of conjugated vinyl biaryls has proven to be a valuable and efficient strategy for generating phenanthrene derivatives. Contained in this review is an overview of the mechanism for the transformation and a discussion of the reaction scope with a focus on the electrocyclization itself, rearomatization, and the application of the reaction in natural product synthesis.
Key words
electrocyclization - photochemistry - cross-coupling - singlet-excited state - triplet-excited state - aromaticity - dihydrophenanthrene - natural product synthesis