Efficient One-Pot Synthesis of Substituted Lactams via Three-Component Solvent-Free Reaction Catalyzed by Ytterbium Triflate

Abstract

Three-component synthesis of 1,5-dihydro-2H-pyrrol-2-one derivatives from pyruvate, aldehyde, and aniline was described. The reaction proceeds successfully under solvent-free conditions using ytterbium as a catalyst. The structures of the synthesized compounds are assigned on the basis of elemental analysis, infrared, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, and mass spectral data.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Keywords:

• Ethyl pyruvate
• pyrrol-2-ones
• solvent-free condition
• substituted lactams
• ytterbium triflate

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

A. S. Nagarajan thanks the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi, for financial assistance.

Notes

^a Reaction conditions: o-chlorobenzaldehyde (0.1 mmol), 2,4,6-trimethylaniliine (0.2 mmol), ethyl pyruvate (0.3 mmol), catalyst (20 mol%), rt.

^b Yield of isolated and purified products.

^a o-Chlorobenzaldehyde (0.1 mmol), 2,4,6-trimethylaniline (0.2 mmol), ethyl pyruvate (0.3 mmol), and ytterbium triflate (5–20 mol%), rt.

Notes. Reaction time 2 h, Yb (OTf)₃, 20 mol%.