A Novel Nickel(0)-Catalyzed Cascade Ullmann-Pinacol Coupling: From o-Bromobenzaldehyde to trans-9,10-Dihydroxy-9,10-dihydrophenanthrene

Using 5 mol% of (Ph 3 P) 2 NiCl 2 as a catalyst, Zn powder as a reductant, ORTHO-carbonyl-substituted aryl halides could be -coupled to form TRANS-9,10-dihydroxy-9,10-dihydrophenanthrenes in a one-pot cascade reaction.