A facile and efficient method for the synthesis of 1-oxo-hexahydroxanthenes catalyzed by FeCl 3•6H 2O is described. The iron-catalyzed condensation of salicylaldehydes with cyclic 1,3-diketones afforded 1-oxo-hexahydroxanthene derivatives in a good to excellent yields at room temperature. The use of water as a green solvent, purification of the products by non-chromatographic methods, catalyst reusability and high yields are some of the advantages of this protocol.
