Theoretical study of the regio- and stereoselectivity of the intramolecular Povarov reactions yielding 5H-chromeno[2,3-c] acridine derivatives

The intramolecular Povarov (IMP) reactions involved in the synthesis of 5H-chromeno[2,3-c] acridine derivatives [Tetrahedron Lett., 2010, 51, 3071–3074] have been studied using density functional theory (DFT) methods. The studied IMP reaction is a domino process that comprises two consecutive reactions: (i) a BF3 Lewis acid catalysed intramolecular aza-Diels–Alder (IMADA) reaction of an alkene tethered chromene imine (ATCI) giving a formal [4 + 2] cycloadduct, and (ii) a 1,3-hydrogen shift yielding the final chromeno product. The possible regio-(fused/bridged) and stereo-(cis/trans) isomeric channels associated with the IMADA reaction were thoroughly investigated and analysed. The activatio…