Synthesis of anthracene-bridged expanded rosarin†

The newly synthesized precursor 1,8-di(1H-pyrrol-2-yl)anthracene was condensed with pentafluorobenzaldehyde under acid-catalyzed conditions to afford the first example of a unique anthracenyl-bridged rosarin. The X-ray structure revealed a coil-like arrangement of three dipyrromethene moieties and three anthracenyl units in the rosarin framework, which exhibits a weak fluorescence at 676 nm.