A straightforward one-pot vs. stepwise esterification of lapachol was performed to obtain highly diversified heterocycles. Whereas the one-pot esterification leads to mono esterified lapachol, the stepwise approach generated benzo[h]chromene. Furthermore, benzo[h]chromene architectures with embedded triazole moieties were synthesized through late-stage functionalization of the benzo[h]chromene terminal alkyne moiety by copper catalyzed 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition (CuAAC) in a one-pot procedure.
![Graphical abstract: An efficient cyclization of lapachol to new benzo[h]chromene hybrid compounds: a stepwise vs. one-pot esterification-click (CuAAC) study](http://hg.y866.cn/compound/lib/scimg/usr/1/C8NJ03699C.jpg)