Ecofriendly and facile Nano ZnO catalyzed solvent-free enamination of 1,3-dicarbonyls

Nano zinc oxide (Nano-ZnO) was explored as a reusable catalyst for the enamination of 1,3-dicarbonyls using diverse amines. To make the process environmentally viable, the reaction was carried out under solvent-free conditions and found to give good yield of desired products. The catalyst was characterized by various analytical techniques such as UV-spectroscopy, XRD, and TEM. The catalyst was found to be reusable up to four catalytic cycles without any appreciable loss in activity. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.