An expedient synthesis of poly-substituted naphthalenes: consecutive Michael, intramolecular aldol, and decarboxylative Michael cascade of δ-ketonitriles

An efficient synthetic method was developed for poly-substituted naphthalenes via the multi-step, one-pot domino reaction of δ-ketonitriles involving a sequential Michael addition, intramolecular aldol, lactonization, decarboxylative Michael addition, and elimination processes.