A cascade formation of N-pyridylacrylamides from pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidine diones and chromene aldehydes

Various N-(pyridin-2-yl)acrylamides bearing 4H-chromene fragment were synthesized via the condensation of 4H-chromene-3-carbaldehydes and their fused analogues with 2H-pyrido[1,2-a]pyrimidine-2,4(3H)-diones employing NH₄OAc/AcOH system. Possible mechanism of this hetero- domino reaction involves the consecutive Knoevenagel condensation, oxa-6v-electrocyclization, aza-6v-electrocyclic ring-opening, nucleophilic addition, retro-Alder-ene reaction and oxa-6v-electrocyclic ring-disclosure.