Sodium carbonate-catalyzed Claisen-Schmidt condensation: one-pot synthesis of highly functionalized cyclohexenones under environmental conditions

摘要

In this investigation, a practical green chemistry procedure for synthesis of highly functionalized cyclohexenone derivatives according to the Claisen-Schmidt condensation and Michael reaction using acetoacetanilide, acetophenone, and appropriate aromatic aldehydes in the presence of 15 mol% of Na2CO3 as a catalyst in H2O/EtOH at ambient conditions is described. This methodology is of interest due to the use of water/ethanol as a solvent without the use of any harmful and toxic organic solvents and toxic metals as catalysts. Neutral conditions, excellent yields, a short reaction time, a simple work-up procedure of products and use of an inexpensive catalyst are some of the main advantages of this environmentally benign process. Also, there is no need for column chromatography to obtain pure products.