Polycyclic aromatic compounds can be synthesized from 2-benzylic- or 2-allylbenzaldehydes using a catalytic amount of In(III) or Re(I) complexes. By using this method, polycyclic aza-aromatic compounds can also be prepared efficiently. In these reactions, only water is formed as a side product.

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Indium-Catalyzed Construction of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Skeletons via Dehydration. -A number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons is available. Aza and thio analogues can also be formed. -(KUNINOBU*, Y.; TATSUZAKI, T.; MATSUKI, T.; TAKAI*, K.; J. Org. Chem. 76 (2011) 17, 7005-7009, http://dx.

The Re‐catalyzed reaction of dialkylketones with aldehydes yields cyclopentenones via double aldol condensation/Nazarov cyclization.