A method for a regio- and stereoselective synthesis of N-unsubstituted 3-aryl-4-(trifluoromethyl)-4H-spiro[chromeno[3,4-c]pyrrolidine-1,11'-indeno[1,2-b]quinoxalines] in 52-85% yields based on the three-component reaction of 3-nitro-2-trifluoromethyl-2H-chromenes with azomethine ylides generated in situ from benzylamines and indeno[1,2-b]quinoxalin-11-one by heating under reflux in CH2Cl2 for 2 h in the presence of 0.1 equiv of pyrrolidine was developed. The resulting compounds exhibited moderate cytotoxic activity against HeLa human cervical carcinoma cells in the concentration range of 10(-5)-10(-4) M.