Strategy to Construct Stair‐Shaped Partially Reduced Naphtho[1,2‐b]pyrano[2,3‐d]oxepines and Dinaphtho[1,2‐b,d]oxepines

Abstract

A concise and efficient base‐induced synthesis of stair‐shaped, 4‐methylthio‐2‐oxo‐5,6‐dihydro‐2H‐naphtho[1,2‐b]pyran[2,3‐d]oxepine‐3‐carbonitriles (3) has been delineated by the reaction of 3,4‐dihydronaphtho[1,2‐b]oxepin‐5(2H)‐one (1) and methyl 2‐cyano‐3,3‐dimethylthioacrylate in DMSO using powdered KOH as a base at room temperature. Amination of 3 has been achieved by reaction with secondary amine in ethanol at reflux temperature to yield 4‐sec‐amino‐2‐oxo‐5,6‐dihydro‐2H‐naphtho[1,2‐b]pyran[2,3‐d]oxepine‐3‐carbonitriles (4). Reaction of 3 with aryl methyl ketone (5) in DMSO at room temperature using powdered KOH as a base produced stair‐shaped 5‐aryl‐7,8‐dihydro‐1,4‐dioxa‐2,3‐dioxodinaphtho[1,2‐b,d]oxepine (6) in good yields. However, reaction of 6‐aryl‐2H‐pyran‐2‐one‐3‐carbonitrile (8) with 3,4‐dihydronaphtho[1,2‐b]oxepin‐5(2H)‐one (1) did not give similar product, but in lieu 4‐aryl‐5,6‐dihydronaphtho[1,2‐b]oxepino[4,5‐b]pyran‐2‐ylidene)acetonitrile (9) was isolated and characterized.