A Valuable Method for the Synthesis of 2‐Benzylchromones: A Comparative Evaluation of Both Conventional and Microwave‐Assisted Synthesis

Abstract

Chromones (4H‐chromen‐4‐ones) contemplate a naturally occurring class of compounds widely distributed in Nature, particularly in plants. This singular ring system has emerged as a privileged scaffold in medicinal chemistry, mainly due to its unique structural features, diverse biological activities, and pharmacological properties. Throughout the past few years, our efforts have been focused on synthesizing a series of 2‐benzylchromones through a Claisen condensation, using 2’‐hydroxyacetophenones and ethyl 2‐phenylacetates. However, the extended periods of reaction necessary for the synthesis of 2‐benzylchromones led to the search for an alternative. Thus, microwave irradiation emerged as a suitable approach to obtain these chromones in shorter reaction times and with similar or even improved synthetic yields. Our work demonstrates that it is possible to synthesize 2‐benzylchromones through both conventional and microwave‐assisted synthesis, favoring the use of microwave irradiation.