Nitroketene acetal chemistry: efficient synthesis of 2-amino-3-nitro-4H-chromenes

Base-catalyzed reaction of the nitroketene N,S-acetals and the ring substituted 2-hydroxybenzaldehydes afforded a combinatorial library of the 2-alkylamino-3-nitro-4-alkylsulfanyl 4H-chromenes in excellent yields. Nucleophilic displacement of the C4 alkylsulfanyl group with different thiols afforded 4H-chromenes with structural diversity.