Green and Diasteroselective Oxidative Cyclization of Bisnaphthols to Spirans

Hydrogen peroxide/MoO3, as an efficient and clean oxidizing system was used to afford diasteroselective oxidative cyclization of bisnaphthols to spirans in ethanol at 60 °C with high yields. Bisnaphthols were prepared by the reaction of a series of aldehydes and 2-naphthol in the presence of a catalytic amount of H3[P(Mo3O10)4].nH2O (HPA) in refluxing dichloromethane