Observation of the decay hc→3(π⁺π⁻)π⁰

Based on (2712.4±14.1)×10⁶ ψ(3686) events collected with the BESIII detector, we study the decays hc→3(π⁺π⁻)π⁰, hc→2(π⁺π⁻)ω, hc→2(π⁺π⁻)π⁰η, hc→2(π⁺π⁻)η, and hc→ pp̄ via ψ(3686)→π⁰hc. The decay channel hc→3(π⁺π⁻)π⁰ is observed for the first time, and its branching fraction is determined to be ( 9.28± 1.14 ± 0.77 ) × 10- 3, where the first uncertainty is statistical and the second is systematic. In addition, first evidence is found for the modes hc → 2(π⁺π⁻)π⁰η and hc→2(π⁺π⁻)ω with significances of 4.8σ and 4.7σ, and their branching fractions are determined to be (7.55±1.51±0.77)×10⁻³ and ( 4.00 ± 0.86 ± 0.35) × 10- 3, respectively. No significant signals of hc→ 2(π⁺π⁻)η and hc→ pp̄ are observed, and the upper limits of the branching fractions of these decays are determined to be <6.19×10⁻⁴ and <4.40×10⁻⁵ at the 90% confidence level, respectively.