Facile acid-catalyzed condensation of 2-hydroxy-2,2′-biindan-1,1′,3,3′-tetrone with phenols, methoxyaromatic systems and enols

Various phenols, methoxy aromatic compounds, 3- and 4-hydroxycoumarins and enols smoothly condense with 2-hydroxy-2,2′-biindan-1,1′,3,3′-tetrone 1 in an acid medium producing 2-aryl/alkyl-2,2′-biindan-1,1′,3,3′-tetrones in high yields. The adducts of resorcinol, 1,3,5-trihydroxybenzene and α- and β-naphthols of 1 preferably remain in the intramolecular hemi-ketal form, confirmed by X-ray diffraction studies. On the other hand para and meta substituted phenols condense with 1 in an acid medium to produce 6 or 7 substituted 2′,4-spiro(1′,3′-indanedion)-indeno[3,2-b]chromenes in good yields.