Chemodivergent, One-Pot, Multi-Component Synthesis of Pyrroles and Tetrahydropyridines under Solvent- and Catalyst-Free Conditions Using the Grinding Method

A highly efficient, chemoselective synthesis of a library of polysubstituted pyrroles and tetrahydropyridines has been achieved through the one-pot, multicomponent reactions of ethyl (E)-3-(aryl/alkyl amino) acrylates, 2,2-dihydroxy-1-arylethan-1-ones, and malononitrile under solvent- and catalyst free grinding conditions. The selective formation of pyrrole or tetrahydropyridines relied on substitution of the N-aryl of ethyl (E)-3-(4-arylamino) acrylates. These reactions presumably occurred via a domino Knoevenagel condensation and Michael addition followed by an intramolecular cyclization sequence of reactions in a single transformation.