The catalytic ability of ZrO(2)/SO(4)(2-) to promote solventless three-component condensation reactions of a diversity of aromatic aldehydes, urea or thoiurea and ethyl acetoacetate was studied. Products resulting from Hantzsch and/or Biginelli multi-component reactions are obtained in the presence of solid acid catalysts using the same reactants but different temperature conditions. The sulfat...

Allylation and benzylation of p-quinones was achieved through an unusual redox chain reaction. Mechanistic studies suggest that the existence of trace hydroquinone initiates a redox chain reaction that consists of a Lewis acid catalyzed Friedel-Crafts alkylation and a subsequent redox equilibrium that regenerates hydroquinone. The electrophiles could be various allylic and benzylic esters. The ...

Dynamic kinetic Transfer hydrogenation reaction of 2-methyl-2,4-diaryl-2,3-dihydrobenzo[b][1,4]diazepines, using phosphoric acids as catalysts and Hantzsch ester as hydride source, has been studied. A 3,3'-H8-binol derived phosphoric acid has been identified the optimal chiral catalyst for this transformation, affording 1,3-diamine derivatives with up to 8/1 dr, 86% ee and 94% ee for the major ...

The classical Hantzsch reaction is one of the simplest and most economical methods for the synthesis of biologically important and pharmacologically useful 1,4-dihydropyridine derivatives. Bismuth nitrate pentahydrate under microwave irradiation is proven to act as a very efficient catalyst for a one-pot, three-component synthesis of 1,4-dihydropyridines in excellent yields from diverse amines/...

By utilizing Hantzsch esters as the hydrogen source, asymmetric transfer hydrogenation of C=C, C=N, and C=O is realized in the presence of an organocatalyst or a metal-ligand complex, thus affording versatile chiral building blocks in high yields with excellent enantioselectivities under mild conditions. A detailed discussion of recent findings and an assessment of this biomimetic approach are ...