Prior, Allan M.Gunaratna, Medha J.Kikuchi, DaisukeDesper, JohnKim, YunjeongChang, Kyeong-okMaezawa, IzumiJin, Lee-WayHua, Duy H.2014-11-142014-11-142014-11-14http://hdl.handle.net/2097/18672Various condensation and ring-closing reactions were used for the syntheses of 3-[(alkylamino)methylene]-6-methylpyridine-2,4(1H,3H)-diones, bicyclic pyridinones, and tricyclic morpholinopyrones. For instance, 3-[(dialkylamino)methylene]-6-methylpyridine-2,4(1H,3H)-diones were synthesized from the condensation of dialkylamines and 3-formyl-4-hydroxy-6-methylpyridin-2(1H)-one. 3-Formyl-4-hydroxy-6-methylpyridin-2(1H)-one, derived from 3-formyl-4-hydroxy-6-methylpyridin-2(1H)-one, was used to construct a number of bicyclic pyridinones via a one-pot Knoevenagal and intramolecular lactonization reaction. Tricyclic morpholinopyrones were assembled from a dialkylation reaction involving a dinucleophile, 3-amino-4-hydroxy-6-methyl-2H-pyran-2-one, and a dielectrophile, trans-3,6-dibromocyclohexene. Depending on the reaction conditions, isomers of the tricyclic molecules can be selectively produced, and their chemical structures were unequivocally determined using single-crystal X-ray analyses and 2D COSY spectroscopy. The fluorescently active bicyclic pyridinone compounds show longer absorption (368–430 nm; maximum) and emission wavelengths (450–467 nm) than those of 7-amino-4-methylcoumarin (AMC; λ[subscript abs,max] = 350 nm; λ[subscript em] = 430 nm) suggesting these molecules, such as 3-(2-aminoacetyl)-7-methyl-2H-pyrano[3,2-c]pyridine-2,5(6H)-dione, can be employed as fluorescence activity based probes for tracing biological pathways.en-USSupplemental information for this article is available online at http://www.thieme-connect.com/products/ejournals/journal/ 10.1055/s-00000084DialkylationFluorescence probesHeterocycles3- substituted 7-methyl-6H-pyrano[3,2-c]pyridine-2,5-dionestetrahydro-6H-2,10-dioxa-9-azaanthracen-1-onesArticle (author version)