Zeolites Promoting Quinoline Synthesis via Friedlander Reaction

Catalytic performance of zeolites H-BEA, H-MFI, H-FAU and H-MOR, exhibiting textural differences and with different Bronsted and Lewis acid sites concentration, have been studied in the synthesis of quinolines via Friedlander reaction. H-BEA and H-FAU efficiently promoted the condensation of 2-aminoaryl ketones 3 with ethyl acetoacetate (4a) or acetylacetone (4b) under mild reaction conditions, those being the first examples of zeolites as catalysts for this transformation. While H-FAU showed similar catalytic behaviour than that reported for (Al)SBA-15 affording mixtures of quinolines 5 and quinolones 6, H-BEA mainly led to quinolines 5 in almost total selectivity and good yields. However, H-MFI and H-MOR zeolites afforded quinolones 6 as the major reaction product. Methodology reported here was found to be useful for the synthesis of biologically active compounds with excellent yields avoiding unnecessary purifications protocols and tedious work-up procedures.