HPW-Catalyzed environmentally benign approach to imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines

The imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine moiety is present in drugs with several biological activities. The most direct way of obtaining this nucleus is the Groebke-Blackburn-Bienaymé three-component reaction (GBB-3CR) between aminopyridines, aldehydes, and isocyanides under both Lewis and Brønsted acid catalysis. However, several catalysts for this reaction have major drawbacks such as being expensive, extremely dangerous, strong oxidizing, and even explosive. In this scenario, heteropolyacids emerge as greener and safer alternatives due to their very strong Brønsted acidity. In particular, phosphotungstic acid (HPW) is an economical and green attractive catalyst for being cheap, non-toxic, and is known for its chemical and thermal stability. Herein, we report a straightforward approach to the GBB-3CR using HPW as catalyst in ethanol under microwave (μw) heating. This convenient environmentally benign methodology is broad in scope, provides the heterobicyclic products in high yields (up to 99%), with a low catalyst loading (2 mol %) in only 30 minutes, and allows the successful use of aliphatic aldehydes, substrates not so frequently explored with most usual catalysts for this reaction. Furthermore, the aforementioned advantages make this methodology very attractive and superior to the existing ones.

Advances in the greener synthesis of chromopyrimidine derivatives by a multicomponent tandem oxidation process

A hydrophilic cobalt/copper heterogeneous bimetallic catalyst named mTEG-CS-Co/Cu-Schiff-base/IL was successfully synthesized from chitosan polysaccharide. The new catalyst was investigated and confirmed using various techniques including FT-IR, FE-SEM, EDX-EDS, XRD, TEM, TGA, AFM, NMR and ICP. The catalyst exhibited powerful catalyst activity for the tandem one pot oxidative chromopyrimidine reaction from benzyl alcohols under mild conditions, utilizing air as a clean source in a green protocol. The catalyst was compatible with a wide range of benzyl alcohols, and aldehydes formed in situ, and bis-aldehydes synthesized were condensed with urea/4‑hydroxycumarin to provide favorable products in good yields for all derivatives (14 new derivatives). The presence of tri-ethylene glycol and imidazolium moieties with hydrophilic properties on the mTEG-CS-Co/Cu-Schiff-base/IL nanohybrid provides dispersion of the nanohybrid particles in water, leading to higher catalytic performance. Furthermore, the reaction exhibited several other notable features, including low catalyst loading, the ability to be recycled for up to 6 stages, high atom economy, a simple work procedure, short reaction time, utilization of an environmentally friendly nanohybrid, and the replacement of volatile and organic solvents with water solvent.

Cesium salt of 2-molybdo-10-tungstophosphoric acid as an efficient and reusable catalyst for the synthesis of uracil derivatives via a green route

A solid catalyst, cesium salt of 2-molybdo-10-tungstophosphoric acid (Cs_2.3H_0.7PW₁₀Mo₂O₄₀) named as Cs-3, was synthesized by a simple, cheap, clean, and eco-friendly method. The physicochemical properties of the synthesized catalyst were studied via FTIR spectroscopy, XRD, EDX, ICP-AES, SEM-TEM, and BET techniques. The precursor 2-molybdo-10-tungstophosphoric acid (H₃PW₁₀Mo₂O₄₀) was easily soluble in water and other polar solvents. Moreover, their cesium salts Cs _x H_3-x PW₁₀Mo₂ with Cs content in the range x = 2.0-2.5 were insoluble in water and other polar solvents. The surface area of the precursor (5.483 m² g^-1) increased after partial proton exchange by Cs⁺ ions (111.732 m² g^-1), and all samples with x > 1 were resistant to leaching of active components and can be recycled without obvious loss of activity. This catalyst used for the synthesis of uracil derivatives via a green route under solvent free conditions at 70 °C gives higher yield within a shorter reaction time. The catalyst was found to be more active and reusable over nine runs with a negligible loss of activity.