Dipeptidylpeptidase 4 (DPP‐4) is a clinically validated target for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). To discover novel and potent DPP‐4 inhibitors, three series of compounds were designed and synthesized in this study based on our previously identified novel scaffold of 2‐phenyl‐3,4‐dihydro‐2H‐benzo[f]chromen‐3‐amine. Among the designed compounds, 41d‐1 was the most potent one with