Nanostructured silicate catalysts for environmentally benign Strecker-type reactions: status quo and quo vadis

The vital use of isocyanide-based multicomponent reactions (MCR) in chemical synthesis

Multicomponent (MCRs) reactions are classified as one-pot reaction where more than two starting materials are employed to form a single product that contains the building blocks of the starting components. MCRs are considered a convenient approach in synthetic chemistry and have many advantages over the traditional one or two-component reaction, by reducing the number of sequential multiple steps required and often producing better yields. This chapter dissects the use of isocyanide-based MCRs and the elegant chemistry that they offer to build useful scaffolds in the chemical synthetic field. In addition MCRs are considered as one of the recognisable options for increasing “greenness” during the synthesis of pharmaceutical and industrial products.

Organocatalytic Synthesis of α-Aminonitriles: A Review

α-Aminonitriles, which have anticancer, antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties, have played an important role in pharmacology. Furthermore, they can also be used to synthesize natural and unnatural amino acids. The main bottleneck in the commercialization of these products is their large-scale production with controlled chirality. A variety of methods have been used to synthesize α-aminonitriles. Among other reported methods for preparing α-aminonitriles, the Strecker reaction is considered appropriate. Recent developments, however, have enabled the α-cyanation of tertiary and secondary amines by functionalizing the carbon–hydrogen (C–H) bond as an attractive alternative procedure for the preparation of α-aminonitriles in the presence of an oxidant and a cyanide source. In most cases, these reactions are catalyzed by transition metal catalysts, such as Fe, Cu, Rh, V, Au, Ru, Mo, Pt, Re, and Co, or by photocatalysts. As an alternative, organocatalysts can also be used to produce aminonitriles. Although there have been numerous reviews on the preparation of α-aminonitriles, no such reviews have been published specifically on the organocatalyzed synthesis of α-aminonitriles. Organocatalysis plays a significant role in synthesizing α-aminonitriles via Strecker-type reactions and cross dehydrogenative coupling reactions (CDC). In this mini review, we discuss the organocatalyzed synthesis of these molecules. A review of new organocatalysts for the synthesis of aminonitriles is expected to provide insight into the development of new industrial catalysts.

Chlorosulfonic acid coated on porous organic polymer as a bifunctional catalyst for the one-pot three-component synthesis of 1,8-naphthyridines

The synthesis of six-membered oxygen- and nitrogen-containing heterocycles has been regarded as the most fundamental issue in organic chemistry and the chemical industry because these heterocycles are used in producing high-value products. In this study, an efficient, economic, sustainable, and green protocol for their multicomponent synthesis has been developed. The one-pot direct Knoevenagel condensation–Michael addition–cyclization sequences for the transformation of aromatic aldehydes, malononitrile, and 2-aminopyridine generate the corresponding 1,8-naphthyridines over a novel mesoporous bifunctional organocatalyst supported cholorosulfonic acid [poly(triazine-benzene sulfonamide)-SO₃H (PTBSA-SO₃H)] under ambient conditions. The catalyst was used for the formation of 1,8-naphthyridine derivatives for six runs. The current strategy provided a wider substrate range, and short reaction times.

Chlorosulfonic acid coated on porous organic polymer as a bifunctional catalyst for one-pot three-component synthesis of 1,8-naphthyridines