A green one-pot multicomponent synthesis of 4H-pyrans and polysubstituted aniline derivatives of biological, pharmacological, and optical applications using silica nanoparticles as reusable catalyst

A one-pot practical, efficient, and environmentally benign multicomponent synthesis of 4H-pyrans and polysubstituted aniline derivatives of biological, pharmacological, and optical applications has been developed using a very mild, neutral, and reusable silica nanoparticles as catalyst. The 4H-pyran derivatives were synthesized by a three component reaction of an aldehyde, malononitrile, and 5,5-dimethyl-1,3-cyclohexanedione or ethyl acetoacetate at room temperature or refluxing in ethanol. Alternatively, polysubstituted anilines were synthesized via a four component reaction of an aldehyde, a ketone, and two equivalents of malononitrile in ethanol. (C) 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.