Iridium-catalyzed reduction of o-hydroxyl phenyl enaminones for the synthesis of propiophenones and their application in 3-methyl chromone synthesis.

A method of reducing o-hydroxyphenyl enaminones with silane as the reductant to provide o-hydroxyl propiophenones has been achieved with iridium catalysis. The reduction reactions were found to proceed via the assistance of the hydroxyl group in the phenyl ring. In addition, the o-hydroxyl propiophenone products were used for the easy synthesis of 3-methyl chromones by directly incorporating N,N-dimethyl formamide dimethyl acetal (DMF-DMA) without using any catalyst.