A convenient one-pot synthesis and anxietic activity of 3-cyano-2(1H)-iminopyridines and halogen derivatives of benzo[h] chromenes

A general and easy method for the synthesis of 4,6-disubstituted-3-cyano-2(1H)-iminopyridine or 3-amino-6-chloro-1-aryl-1H-benzo[h] chromen-2-yl cyanide derivatives in the presence of high surface area MgO as a highly effective heterogeneous base catalyst is described. These compounds were synthesized using one-pot multicomponent reactions of the properly substituted acetophenone, appropriate aldehyde, ammonium acetate and malononitrile or three component reactions of 4-chloro-2-naphthol, aldehydes and malononitrile, respectively, in DMF. The compound of 7c was evaluated for its anxiolytic activities. (C) 2011 Production and hosting by Elsevier B. V. on behalf of King Saud University.