Multicomponent synthesis of polysubstituted dihydroquinoline derivatives

A series of new poly-functionalized dihydroquinoline derivatives (26 examples) were synthesized via three-component reactions of aldehydes (1 equiv) and 1-arylethylidenemalononitriles (2 equiv) in ethylene glycol using NaOH as a base promoter under microwave irradiation. During these reaction processes, the domino construction of dihydroquinoline skeleton with concomitant formation of two new cycles was readily achieved in a one-pot operation and in an intermolecular manner.