Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling of bulky anthracenyl carboxylates by using pincer nickel N-heterocyclic carbene complexes: an efficient protocol to access fluorescent anthracene derivatives.

A series of fluorescent (hetero)-aryl substituted anthracene derivatives were readily accessible from the corresponding bulky anthracen-9-yl carboxylates via Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reactions by using pincer nickel N-heterocyclic carbene complex even at the catalyst loading as low as 0.1 mol% in the presence of catalytic amounts of PCy3.