A microwave-assisted synthesis of julolidine-9-carboxamide derivatives and their conversion to chalcogenoxanthones via directed metalation.

9-formyljulolidine was oxidized via a microwave-assisted Willgerodt-Kindler reaction to the N-piperidine or N-morpholine julolidine-9-thioamide. 9-formyl-1,1,7,7-tetramethyljulolidine gave the corresponding N-piperidine tetramethyljulolidine-9-thioamide. The thioamides were converted to the corresponding carboxamides with trifluoroacetic anhydride.