A rapid access to biaryl ether containing macrocycles by pairwise use of Ugi 4CR and intramolecular S(N)Ar-based cycloetherification.

[reaction: see text] From readily accessible starting materials, macrocycles with an endo aryl-aryl ether bond are synthesized in only two operations by combination of the Ugi four-component reaction and an intramolecular S(N)Ar reaction. The nitro group serves as an activator for the macrocyclization and provides a handle for the introduction of functional group diversity. A Ugi reaction promoted by ammonium chloride in aprotic solvent is documented for the first time.