A novel large thiophene-fused polycyclic aromatics 1 based on pyrene 5 has been synthesized, and its structure was confirmed by H-1 NMR, C-13 NMR, MS, UV vis and elemental analysis. The key steps of the synthesis involved the Stille cross-coupling reaction and followed by selective beta-beta oxidative cyclization of pendant thienyl rings by FeCl3 under mild conditions. (C) 2011 Zong Fan Duan. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society. All rights reserved.