A Green Approach for the One-Pot, Three-Component Synthesis of 2-Arylpyrroloacridin-1(2H)-Ones using Lactic Acid as a Bio-based Catalyst under Solvent-Free Conditions

A facile and benign synthetic strategy is proposed for the synthesis of 2-arylpyrroloacridin-1(2H)-ones via a lactic acid-catalyzed three-component reaction of dimedone, various anilines, and isatins under solvent-free conditions. Avoidance of hazardous organic solvents, the use of a one-pot multicomponent procedure for the synthesis of 2-arylpyrroloacridin-1(2H)-ones, operational simplicity, no need for column chromatography, lactic acid utilization as a bio-based organic compound, reusability, homogeneity, and commercial availability of the catalyst, and superior synthetic performance are some important aspects of this methodology to access a series of pyrroloacridine motifs with potentially biological scaffolds.