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. 2020 Jan 14;11:269. doi: 10.1038/s41467-019-14092-3

Fig. 4. Proposed reaction mechanism of the formation of phenanthrene and intermediates.

Fig. 4

a Reaction mechanism of the formation and subsequent fragmentation of diacetylenebenzene (m/z = 126). b The diacetylene that is created in step a can further react to form diacetylene–naphthalene (m/z = 176) which is a likely precursor for the formation of phenanthrene (c).