Poly(ethyleneglycol) (PEG): a rapid and recyclable reaction medium for the DABCO-catalyzed Baylis-Hillman reaction

PEG (400) has been used as a rapid and recyclable reaction medium for the Baylis-Hillman reaction with the conventional basic catalyst DABCO (20 mol%) with very good yields of products. Recyclability is achieved with no further addition of DABCO to the reaction medium over four runs without substantial loss in yields. Incidentally, DABCO is recycled for the first time in this transformation. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.