Electrocatalytic chain transformation of salicylaldehydes and malononitrile into substituted 4H-chromenes

Electrochemically induced catalytic chain transformation of salicylaldehydes and malononitrile in alcohols in an undivided cell in the presence of sodium bromide as an electrolyte results in the formation of substituted 4H-chromenes in 85-95% yields. The developed efficient electrocatalytic approach to 4H-chromene systems is beneficial from the viewpoint of environmentally responsible organic synthesis and large-scale processes. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.