2-(5-Arylterphenyl-4-yl)quinolines from 2-methylquinoline and 1-(het)aryl-3-phenylprop-2-yn-1-ones in just a one step: A miracle of molecular interplay

2-Methylquinoline reacts with 1-(het)aryl-3-phenylprop-2-yn-1-ones under mild transition metal-free conditions (55–60°C, 20 mol% KOH, H2O, MeCN) to afford 2-{5’-(het)aryl[1,1’ : 3’,1”]terphenyl-4’-yl}quinolines in up to 35% yield. The reaction likely proceeds via the intermediate 1,3-dipole followed by the double nucleophilic vinylation of the methyl group with two molecules of ynone and subsequent elimination of (het)arenecarboxylic acid.