Investigation of an Iron-Catalyzed Cyclization Reaction for Naphthalene Synthesis

Naphthalenes are fundamental scaffolds in organic synthesis, widely utilized in pharmaceuticals due to their versatility in drug design. Traditional methods for their synthesis often require expensive catalysts, harsh conditions, or limited substitution patterns, restricting their broader applicability. This study explores an iron-catalyzed cyclization strategy that enables the selective formation of naphthalenes with diverse substitution patterns, addressing these limitations. Using FeBr₃ as a sustainable and cost-effective catalyst, this method facilitates naphthalene formation under mild conditions in 1,2-DCE at room temperature within two hours. This work encompasses the synthesis of ketone precursors, optimization of reaction conditions, and evaluation of substrate scope to determine the extent and selectivity of the transformation.