We describe the synthesis of analogues of the retinoid Temarotene (Ro
15-0778) (1a), which shows due to its lack of a polar end group no sig
ns of hypervitaminosis A. A variety of substituted tetrahydroanthracen
es 6, 8, 11, 13 is prepared starting from 2-methoxynaphthalene (5b) us
ing palladium-catalyzed coupling techniques.