K2CO3-catalyzed synthesis of chromones and 4-quinolones through the cleavage of aromatic C-O bonds.

Phenol-derived electrophiles are favorable substrates because phenols are naturally abundant or can be readily prepared from other aromatic compounds. However, the cleavage of aromatic C-O bonds is a great challenge because of their high energy. K(2)CO(3)-catalyzed intramolecular cyclization of 1-(2-alkoxyphenyl)-3-akylpropane-1,3-dione and 3-(alkylimino)-1-(2-methoxyphenyl)-2-methylpropan-1-one derivatives via the selective cleavage of aromatic C-O bonds is reported. The corresponding chromone and 4-quinolone derivatives were obtained in reasonable yields.