In contrast, the synthesis of 1,2,5,6-and 1,4,5,8-anthracenetetrone (Scheme 1, bottom) is more challenging. This may explain why these compounds are less investigated despite the large number of available reactions for converting quinones, including our new conversion into cyanoarenes (demonstrated for 5,7,12,14-pentacenetetrone and a range of other para-and ortho-quinones). Beside other syntheses, the two tetrones are particularly interesting for the synthesis of π-conjugated small molecules and polymers, but they have been used in only a few reactions so far: