A novel and versatile synthetic method for picene derivatives is developed using the Pd-catalyzed intramolecular double cyclization of the corresponding 2,3-bis[(1Z)-2-phenylethenyl]-1,4-dichlorobenzenes, which are readily prepared by Suzuki–Miyaura cross-coupling reactions of polyhalobenzenes with (Z)-arylethenylboronates. The physical properties of the obtained picenes can be modified via introducing
different from those of picene and other methoxy picenes. In addition, crystalstructures of four types of methoxy-substituted picenes 4a–c,e strongly depend on their substitution position and number of methoxy groups, which dramatically changes the structures from the fully anisotropic 1D π-stacked structure to a unique 3D herringbone structure due to steric hindrance of methoxy groups. The calculations of