Iodine-promoted sequential Michael and oxidative dehydrogenation processes: synthesis of trisubstituted methanes containing a coumarin and a chromone ring

Abstract An iodine-promoted convenient and environmentally friendly sequential method for the synthesis of trisubstituted methanes bearing a coumarin and a chromone ring is described. The remarkable features of this approach include avoidance of metals, working under air, employment of readily available starting materials, good functional group tolerance and simple operation.