Multicomponent synthesis of novel 3-benzoyl-4h-benzo[g]chromene-5,10-dione derivatives

An efficient method was developed to prepare a series of novel 3-benzoyl-4H-benzo[g]chromene-5,10-dione derivatives from 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, aromatic aldehydes and arylenaminones in glacial acetic acid under microwave irradiation. This transformation presumably occurs via a Knoevenagel condensation – dehydration – Michael addition – O-cyclization – proton transfer - elimination - deprotonation – double bond isomerization sequence of reactions. © 2021 Elsevier Ltd