Michael-Addition-Initiated Chemoselective Three-Component Reaction for the Synthesis of 2-(3-Oxo-1,3-diarylpropyl)malononitrile Derivatives Using Cerium(IV) Ammonium Nitrate in Phosphorus Ionic Liquid.

The aim of this research is the study of hexyltriphenylphosphonium bromide (HTPB) ionic liquid as a bifunctional promoter (solvent and catalyst) in the presence of cerium(IV) ammonium nitrate as a single electron oxidant for the Michael reaction at room temperature and solvent-free conditions. A novel, one-pot and environmentally benign the process to achieve the chemoselective of 2-(3-oxo-1,3-diarylpropyl)malononitrile derivatives instead of 2-(1,3-diarylallylidene)malononitriles using a three-component reaction involving acetophenone derivatives, various aromatic aldehydes and malononitrile was developed. This protocol is simple and provides biologically interesting products in good yields, short reaction times at ambient conditions without the need for using volatile solvents. The remarkable feature of this method is the chemoselectivity of its which makes this protocol effective and distinctive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]