A new route to the synthesis of a variety of methyl-substituted anthracenes is described. o- Dibromobenzene, or its homolog, is metallated with butyllithium to give benzyne, or its homolog, which is treated with furan or methyl-substituted furans to give 1, 4-epoxy-1, 4- dihydronaphthalenes. The latter, as dienophiles, are condensed with methyl-substituted butadienes, and the products dehydrated, and then dehydrogenated to produce the ...
