Sequential One-Pot Combination of Multireactions through Multicatalysis: A General Approach to Rapid Assembly of Functionalized Push−Pull Olefins, Phenols, and 2-Methyl-2H-chromenes

A general, sustainable and practical process for the sequential cascade one-pot synthesis of library of highly substituted push-pull olefins, phenols and 2-methyl-2H-chromenes was reported through multicatalysis cascade (MCC) reactions. Direct sequential one-pot combination of amine- or amino acid-catalyzed cascade Knoevenagel/Michael/aldol condensation/decarboxylation with other reactions like amine- or amino acid-catalyzed cascade Claisen-Schmidt/iso-aromatization, Claisen-Schmidt/isomerization, Claisen-Schmidt/iso-aromatization/isomerization, Michael addition, Claisen-Schmidt/Michael, ruthenium-base-silica-catalyzed ring closing metathesis/base-induced ring-opening/benzylic oxidation/[1,7]-sigmatropic hydrogen shift, or ruthenium-base-heat-catalyzed ring closing metathesis/base-induced ring-opening/[1,7]-sigmatropic hydrogen shift reactions of alkyl acetoacetates, a variety of aldehydes and alkyl halides furnished the highly functionalized push-pull olefins, phenols and 2-methyl-2H-chromenes with high yields. The yields and regioselectivities were good to excellent. Evidence for a new reaction pathway involving in situ formation of novel push-pull dienamines under amine- or amino acid-catalysis is presented along with examples demonstrating the amenability of the process to MCC chemistry.