A convenient one-pot synthesis and anxietic activity of 3-cyano-2(1H)-iminopyridines and halogen derivatives of benzo[h]chromenes

A general and easy method for the synthesis of 4,6-disubstituted-3-cyano-2(1H)-iminopyridine or 3-amino-6-chloro-1-aryl-1H-benzo[h]chromen-2-yl cyanide derivatives in the presence of high surface area MgO as a highly effective heterogeneous base catalyst is described. These compounds were synthesized using one-pot multicomponent reactions of the properly substituted acetophenone, appropriate aldehyde, ammonium acetate and malononitrile or three component reactions of 4-chloro-2-naphthol, aldehydes and malononitrile, respectively, in DMF. The compound of 7c was evaluated for its anxiolytic activities.