Synthesis of 1-{4a,6-dimethyl-4a,9a-dihydropyrano-[3,4-<Emphasis Type="Italic">b</Emphasis>]indol-9(1<Emphasis Type="Italic">H</Emphasis>)-yl}ethanone

Heating of the bromination product of 4-methyl-3,6-dihydro-2H-pyran with 4-toluidine or 2-bromo-4-methylamiline in triethylamine gave 4-methyl-N-(4-methylphenyl)- and N-(2-bromo-4-methylphenyl)-4-methyl-3,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-3-amines which were converted into the corresponding amides by reaction with bromo- or chloroacetyl chloride. 1-{4a,6-Dimethyl-4a,9a-dihydropyrano3,4-b]indol-9(1H)-yl} ethanone was synthesized in good yield by heating N-(2-bromo-4-methylphenyl)-N-(4-methyl-3,6-dihydro-2Hpyran-3-yl)acetamide in boiling toluene in the presence of palladium(II) acetate, triphenylphosphine, copper(II) acetate, triethylamine, and potassium carbonate.