New tricyclic pyridinones were synthesized from 6-bromo-2-chloromethyl-3-nitroimidazo[1,2-a]pyridine in four steps involving a Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling reaction and a direct olefination with diethyl ketomalonate as key steps. Subsequent one-pot reduction-cyclization provided new ethyl 8-aryl-2-oxo-1,2-dihydrodipyrido[1,2-a;3′,2′-d]imidazole-3-carboxylates.
Suzuki-Miyaura cross-coupling - sulfones - diethyl methylenemalonate - nitro reduction - pyridin-2-ones
