A concise synthetic protocol for aryl functionalized phenanthrolines has been developed. It was demonstrated that 3,8-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (7a) is competent in promoting transition-metal-free direct arylation and 2,3,8,9-tetraphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline (8a) is a highly efficient ligand in the in situ Pd-catalysed Heck reaction.