A one-pot synthesis of 3,3′-methylenebis(2-arylamino-4H-chromen-4-one) from C-(4-oxo-4H-1-benzopyran-3-yl)-N-arylnitrone

2-(Arylamino)-4-oxo-4H-chromene-3-carbaldehyde 3 (R² = aryl) produces 12H-chromeno[2,3-b]quinolin-12-one 4 when treated with sarcosine, piperidine or diethylamine, but produces 3,3′-methylenebis(2-arylamino-4H-chromen-4-one) 8 when treated with the same amine in the presence of an excess of formaldehyde. Compound 3 (R² = alkyl) was found to be less reactive than the N-aryl analogues towards the deformylative Mannich-type reaction.