An efficient, secondary amine-catalyzed cascade annulation
of 2-O/N-propargylarylaldehydes
with 2,6-dialkylphenols
was established to access biologically relevant functionalized 2H-chromenes and 1,2-dihydroquinolines tethered with a synthetically
useful p-quinone methide scaffold in high yields
under microwave irradiation and conventional heating conditions. The
microwave-assisted strategy was convenient, clean, rapid, and high
yielding in which the reactions were completed in just 15 min, and
the yields obtained were up to 95%. This highly atom-economical domino
process constructed two new C–C double bonds and a six-membered
O/N-heterocyclic ring in a single synthetic operation. Its mechanism
process was rationalized as involving sequential iminium ion formation,
nucleophilic addition, and intramolecular annulation steps. Furthermore,
the synthesized 2H-chromene derivatives were transformed
into valuable indeno[2,1-c]chromenes, 5H-indeno[2,1-c]quinolines, and oxireno[2,3-c]chromene via a palladium-catalyzed double C–H bond
activation process and epoxidation, respectively.