The carboarylation reaction of biphenyl-alkynes was successfully triggered by electrophilic attack of 1,1-bis (triflyl)ethylene on the alkyne moiety to give polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) decorated by superacidic carbon acid functionality. Neutralisation of thus obtained acids with NaHCO 3 yielded the corresponding sodium salts, which showed improved solubility in both aqueous and organic solvents.Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are fragment structures of carbon materials exemplified by fullerenes, carbon nanotubes, and nanographenes. [1] Such extended π-conjugate systems have drawn considerable interest because of their characteristic photophysical and electronical properties. [2] The polycyclic aromatic skeletons are also found in structures of biologically active agents including DNA intercalators, [3] HIV integrase inhibitors [4] and some phenanthrene alkaloids. [5] For these reasons, a variety of synthetic methodologies for constructing the PAH frameworks have been developed. [6] In particular, the ring-closing reactions of biaryl-alkynes using several electrophilic species including Brønsted acid, [7] halonium equivalents, [8] and transition metal catalysts [9] have been successfully utilised into the regioselective formation of the PAHs. However, a significant drawback for exploring further applications is low solubility of some PAHs in both organic and aqueous solvents. [10] Recently, we reported the functionalisation of borondipyrromethene (BODIPY) fluorescent dyes by a highly stabi- [a]

A metal- and irradiation-free preparation of Tf2CHCH2-decorated carbazoles from 1-(indol-2-yl)but-3-yn-1-ols under mild conditions with a 2-fluoropyridinium salt as the Tf2CCH2 source has been attained in a straightforward and selective manner.