Microwave-assisted multistep synthesis of functionalized 4-arylquinolin-2(1H)-ones using palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling chemistry.

[reaction: see text] Biologically active 4-aryl-3-alkenyl-substituted quinolin-2(1H)-ones have been synthesized in a short and concise manner employing readily available 4-hydroxyquinolin-2(1H)-ones as intermediates. Key steps in the synthesis include the derivatization of the quinolin-2(1H)-one cores using palladium-catalyzed Suzuki and Heck reactions, installing the 4-aryl and 3-alkenyl substituents. All synthetic transformations (six steps) required for the synthesis of the desired target quinolin-2(1H)-one were carried out using controlled microwave-assisted organic synthesis.