Microwave-Assisted Three-Component “Catalyst and Solvent-Free” Green Protocol: A Highly Efficient and Clean One-Pot Synthesis of Tetrahydrobenzo[b]pyrans

A green and highly efficient method has been developed for the one-pot synthesis of tetrahydrobenzo[b]pyrans via a three-component condensation of aldehydes, 1,3-cyclic diketones, and malononitrile under MW irradiation without using any catalyst and solvent. This transformation presumably occurs by a sequential Knoevenagel condensation, Michael addition, and intramolecular cyclization. Operational simplicity, solvent and catalyst-free conditions, the compatibility with various functional groups, nonchromatographic purification technique, and high yields are the notable advantages of this procedure.