The synthesis of a range of furo[2,3-c]acridines (16-18) via imines formati
on from 6,7-dihydrobenzofuran-4(5H)-one (4) and anthranilonitrile, 4, 5-dim
ethoxyanthranilonitrile, ethyl anthranilate or methyl 4,5-dimethoxyanthrani
late, followed by base-catalysed cyclisation and aromatization is described
.