A Facile Solvent Free Synthesis of 3-arylidenechroman-4-ones Using Grinding Technique

An efficient method for the synthesis of 3-arylidenechroman-4-ones has been developed under solvent free conditions using grinding technique. Grinding of variously substituted chroman-4-ones with aromatic aldehydes in presence of anhydrous barium hydroxide at room temperature give 3-arylidenechroman-4-ones in high yield (75-92%). Products are obtained by just acidification of the reaction mixture in ice cold water. Reaction in solid state, with enhanced rate, high selectivity and manipulative simplicity are the attractive features of this environmentally benign protocol. The chroman-4-one derivatives required for the reaction have been obtained by polyphosphoric acid (PPA) catalysed cyclisation of phenoxypropanoic acids under microwave irradiations.