Catalyst-Free One-Pot Synthesis of Ketene Imines under Ultrasound Irradiation

Rapid construction of tricyclic tetrahydrocyclopenta[4,5]pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine via isocyanide-based multicomponent reaction

An efficient protocol for the synthesis of polyfunctionalized tetrahydrocyclopenta[4,5]pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine-3,4b,5,6,7(1H)-pentacarboxylates was developed by a three-component reaction. In the absence of any catalyst, the three-component reaction of alkyl isocyanides, dialkyl but-2-ynedioates and 5,6-unsubstituted 1,4-dihydropyridines in refluxing acetonitrile afforded polyfunctionalized tetrahydrocyclopenta[4,5]pyrrolo[2,3-b]pyridine-3,4b,5,6,7(1H)-pentacarboxylates in high yields and with high diastereoselectivity. The reaction was finished by in situ generation of activated 5-(alkylimino)cyclopenta-1,3-dienes from addition of alkyl isocyanide to two molecules of but-2-ynedioates and sequential formal [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction with 5,6-unsubstituted 1,4-dihydropyridine.

Recent developments on ultrasound assisted catalyst-free organic synthesis

Mother Nature needs to be protected from ever increasing chemical pollutions associated with synthetic organic processes. The fundamental challenge for today's methodologists is to make their protocols more environmentally benign and sustainable by avoiding the extensive use of hazardous reagents and solvents, harsh reaction conditions, and toxic metal catalysts. However, the people of the twenty-first century are well aware about the side effects of those hazardous substances used and generated by the chemical processes. As a result, the last decade has seen a tremendous outburst in modifying chemical processes to make them 'sustainable' for the betterment of our environment. Catalysts play a crucial role in organic synthesis and thus they find huge applications and uses. Scientists' continuously trying to modify the catalysts to reduce their toxicity level, but the most benign way is to design an organic reaction without catalyst(s), if possible. It is worthy to mention that the involvement of ultrasound in organic synthesis is sometimes fulfilling this goal. In many occasions the applications of ultrasound can avoid the use of catalysts in organic reactions. Such beneficial features as a whole have motivated the organic chemists to apply ultrasonic irradiation in more heights and as a results, in recent past, there were immense applications of ultrasound in organic reactions for the synthesis of diverse organic scaffolds under catalyst-free condition. The present review summarizes the latest developments on ultrasound assisted catalyst-free organic synthesis reported so far.