Novel chemical modifications at the 4-position of chromones. Synthesis and reactivity of 4H-chromene-4-spiro-5′-isoxazolines and related compounds

Reactions of chromones with dilithiooximes proceed via nucleophilic 1,2-addition to give, on acidification, 4H-chromene-4-spiro-5′-isoxazoline derivatives in high yields. On treatment with concentrated H2SO4 the isoxazoline ring of this novel spiroannulated heterocyclic system opens to give α,β-unsaturated oximes, which undergo nitrosation, bromination, and the Beckmann rearrangement to the corresponding spiroisoxazolines and α,β-unsaturated amides, respectively. The latter can be obtained directly by the Beckmann rearrangement of 4H-chromene-4-spiro-5′-isoxazolines.