The unique feature of odd-alternant hydrocarbons (i.e., polycyclic hydrocarbons with alternating double bonds and an odd number of carbon atoms), is the readily interconvertible redox triad (cation ± radical ± anion), which has been the subject of many experimental and theoretical studies. Recently we have disclosed a novel synthetic approach [1] to extended phenalenones as potential precursors of the corresponding odd-alternant hydrocarbons. Here we report the application of this method to the synthesis of the hitherto unknown trinaphthophenalenium cation 4, a cation of a novel C 3h -symmetric odd-alternant hydrocarbon.Treatment [2] of 7H-benzo[hi]chrysen-7-one (1) [3] with 7methoxy-1-naphthyllithium (prepared from 7-methoxy-1naphthyl iodide [4,5] and nBuLi in ether at room temperature) and autooxidation of the resulting adduct in the usual workup afforded 6-(7-methoxy-1-naphthyl)-7H-benzo[hi]chrysen-7one (2) [6] in 75 % yield (Scheme 1). This molecule contains the necessary number of carbons for the construction of the desired trinaphthophenalene skeleton. The methoxy group was deliberately introduced to serve as an auxiliary in the following three key steps of the condensation to the target structure. First, it acts as an electron-donating group to make Scheme 1. Synthesis of 4´CF 3 COO. position 8 reactive enough to react with the central carbonyl group to give 3. Second, it stabilizes the adjacent cationic center as shown in 3 to increase the chance for the ring-closing condensation with the facing benzene ring. Finally, it can leave as methanol to provide the trinaphthophenalenium cation 4.Our system worked as beautifully as we had originally conceived.The reaction proceeded in steps and we could isolate the intermediate 3 as a blue-violet solid after heating 2 in 30 % HBr/HOAc at 958C for 1 h. Although 3 was not fully characterized, the presence of 16 different aromatic protons and three methyl protons in the 1 H NMR spectrum supports the proposed structure. When the reaction temperature was increased to 1108C, the final transannular condensation occurred very smoothly to furnish trinaphthophenalenium trifluoroacetate 4´CF 3 COO as a dark violet solid (71 % from 2) after chromatographic purification (silica gel, CF 3 COOH).The characteristic absorption of 4 in acetonitrile (l max (e) 568 (10 400)) supports its extensively delocalized p system. The 1 H NMR spectrum [7] of 4 consists of four doublets at d 9. 74, 9.42, 9.05, and 9.02 and one triplet at d 8.65 in accord with the expected C 3h symmetry. The FAB mass spectrum (4 in CF 3 COOH/m-nitrobenzyl alcohol matrix) shows a peak for the trinaphthophenalenium cation at m/z 387.1172 (calcd for C 31 H 15 : 387.1174). As a measure of the thermodynamic stability of the trinaphthophenalenium cation, its pK R value was determined by spectrophotometric titration in buffered 50 % aqueous acetonitrile. Although the titration curve was discontinuous [8] between pH 2.65 and 2.96, the preliminary pK R value was estimated to be roughly 4.2. Therefore, the stability of ...