Preparation, Characterisation and Some Reactions of Organocatalysts Immobilised Between the Layers of a CaFe-Layered Double Hydroxide.

Five- and six-membered cyclic α-amino acid anions with secondary nitrogen in the ring ( l-prolinate and dl-pipecolinate) were immobilised in CaFe-L(ayered)D(ouble)H(ydroxide) by the dehydration-rehydration method. The resulting organic-inorganic hybrids were characterised by various instrumental methods (powder X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence with elemental mapping, and analytical techniques for determining the iron as well as the organic contents) and molecular modelling. The immobilised organocatalysts were tested in the cross-aldol dimerization-condensation reaction between benzaldehyde and acetone and found to be active and enantioselectivity in the dimerization was also observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]