The first application of 4-alkoxy-1,1,1-trifluoroalk-3-en-2-ones in a three-component condensation protocol for the synthesis of 3-acyl-4-aryl-2-(trifluoromethyl)-2-hydroxy-3,4,7,8-tetrahydro-2H-chromen-5(6H)-ones

▶ We develop a new three-component method for the synthesis of 30 chromenones. ▶ We employ β-alkoxyvinyl trifluoromethyl ketones to attach CF3 group at chromenones. ▶ We propose a plausible mechanism to explain the synthetic results. ▶ This method is not very sensitive to the aldehyde and the ketone substituents. ▶ We perform a complete structural elucidation for the obtained chromenones.