Formaldehyde surrogates in multicomponent reactions

• Cecilia I. Attorresi,
• Javier A. Ramírez and
• Bernhard Westermann

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2025, 21, 564–595, doi:10.3762/bjoc.21.45

Multicomponent syntheses of pyrazoles via (3 + 2)-cyclocondensation and (3 + 2)-cycloaddition key steps

• Ignaz Betcke,
• Alissa C. Götzinger,
• Maryna M. Kornet and
• Thomas J. J. Müller

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 2024–2077, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.178

• base in the Knoevenagel reaction and as a component for ring formation. Cyclization is completely regioselective when arylhydrazines are used; with methylhydrazine, the ratio is greater than 10:1. In addition to malononitrile, derivatives with reduced nucleophilicity (X = CO2R) are also tolerated in

• hydrolactite catalysts (C-Mg-Al HAT-3) [90]. With β-ketoesters, the method can be extended to a four-component synthesis. Initially, β-ketoesters react with hydrazine to form pyrazolones, while a Knoevenagel reaction between malononitrile and aldehyde simultaneously generates a Michael system. Both

Domino reactions of chromones with activated carbonyl compounds

• Peter Langer

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2024, 20, 1256–1269, doi:10.3762/bjoc.20.108

• -dicarboxylate (3) with 2,3-unsubstituted parent chromone (9a) afforded benzocoumarine 17 in 56% yield (Scheme 3) [32]. The formation of the product can be explained by 1,4-addition of 3 to the chromone to give intermediate A and ring cleavage to give intermediate B. Subsequent Knoevenagel reaction by attack of

• crude form for the next step. Treatment of the latter with triethylamine in methanol resulted in ring-cleavage to give intermediate E. Subsequent base-mediated Knoevenagel reaction with extrusion of water gave intermediate F which underwent lactonization and resulted in the formation of the final

• ) [32]. The formation of the products can be explained by Michael reaction (1,4-addition) of 3 to the chromone and ring cleavage to give intermediate G. Subsequent Knoevenagel reaction by attack of the methylene carbon to the aldehyde resulted in the formation of the final products. The regioselective

Synthesis of 5-arylidenerhodanines in L-proline-based deep eutectic solvent

• Stéphanie Hesse

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2023, 19, 1537–1544, doi:10.3762/bjoc.19.110

• scaffolds is the introduction of a benzylidene moiety on C5 via a Knoevenagel reaction. Here, a facile synthesis of 5-arylidenerhodanines via a Knoevenagel reaction in an ʟ-proline-based deep eutectic solvent (DES) is reported. This method is fast (1 h at 60 °C), easy, catalyst-free and sustainable as no

First example of organocatalysis by cathodic N-heterocyclic carbene generation and accumulation using a divided electrochemical flow cell

• Daniele Rocco,
• Ana A. Folgueiras-Amador,
• Richard C. D. Brown and
• Marta Feroci

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2022, 18, 979–990, doi:10.3762/bjoc.18.98

• as ligands in organometallic catalysts [9] and as versatile organocatalysts [10] in a very wide range of organic reactions such as classical benzoin condensation, transesterification, acylation, Knoevenagel reaction, Claisen condensation etc. The electrochemical generation of carbenes from ILs avoids

Preparation of mono-substituted malonic acid half oxyesters (SMAHOs)

• Tania Xavier,
• Sylvie Condon,
• Christophe Pichon,
• Erwan Le Gall and
• Marc Presset

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 2085–2094, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.135

• compound 5 is commercially available or easily accessible on a relatively large scale (Scheme 3) [56]. Therefore, we first achieved an alkylation step of 5 using a Knoevenagel reaction with benzaldehyde, followed by an in situ reduction of the resulting alkylidene [57][58]. Even if the reaction worked well

A comprehensive review of flow chemistry techniques tailored to the flavours and fragrances industries

• Guido Gambacorta,
• James S. Sharley and
• Ian R. Baxendale

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 1181–1312, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.90

• proved to be less active. In 2013, the Knoevenagel reaction between benzaldehyde (17) and malononitrile was performed using a similar flow apparatus, however, using a polystyrene-supported DABCO as catalyst. Wang’s group confirmed the stability of the latter, which provides excellent conversions (95–90

Microwave-assisted multicomponent reactions in heterocyclic chemistry and mechanistic aspects

• Shivani Gulati,
• Stephy Elza John and
• Nagula Shankaraiah

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2021, 17, 819–865, doi:10.3762/bjoc.17.71

Highly selective Diels–Alder and Heck arylation reactions in a divergent synthesis of isoindolo- and pyrrolo-fused polycyclic indoles from 2-formylpyrrole

• Carlos H. Escalante,
• Eder I. Martínez-Mora,
• Carlos Espinoza-Hicks,
• Alejandro A. Camacho-Dávila,
• Fernando R. Ramos-Morales,
• Francisco Delgado and
• Joaquín Tamariz

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 1320–1334, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.113

• with benzyl bromides 14b and 14d, respectively (Scheme 5). Pyrrole 16c was synthesized by Knoevenagel reaction of 13a with dimethyl malonate [42]. The Pd(0)-catalyzed cyclization of 8k and 8l required a temperature of 140 °C, but provided pyrrolo[2,1-a]isoindoles 18d and 18e, respectively, in good

Cation-induced ring-opening and oxidation reaction of photoreluctant spirooxazine–quinolizinium conjugates

• Phil M. Pithan,
• Sören Steup and
• Heiko Ihmels

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2020, 16, 904–916, doi:10.3762/bjoc.16.82

• Knoevenagel reaction from the readily available 5-formyl-substituted spirooxazine 1b. Due to the introduction of the electron-accepting quinolizinium(ethenyl) substituent, the spirooxazines 3a and 3b were photoinert towards the electrocyclic ring opening, thus constituting one of the rare cases of

Functional panchromatic BODIPY dyes with near-infrared absorption: design, synthesis, characterization and use in dye-sensitized solar cells

• Quentin Huaulmé,
• Cyril Aumaitre,
• Outi Vilhelmiina Kontkanen,
• David Beljonne,
• Alexandra Sutter,
• Gilles Ulrich,
• Renaud Demadrille and
• Nicolas Leclerc

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2019, 15, 1758–1768, doi:10.3762/bjoc.15.169

• Supporting Information File 1), whose spectra feature characteristic constant couplings of 16.2 and 16.1 Hz. It is worth mentioning that the fluorine substitution was performed on the boron center after introduction of the styryl residues, introduction prior to the Knoevenagel reaction is known to impede it

Synthesis of 1-indanones with a broad range of biological activity

• Marika Turek,
• Dorota Szczęsna,
• Marek Koprowski and
• Piotr Bałczewski

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2017, 13, 451–494, doi:10.3762/bjoc.13.48

• /toluene for the Knoevenagel reaction or NaH/THF for the Horner–Witting reaction) (Scheme 43). Photochemical reactions play an important role in the synthesis of 1-indanone derivatives. Thus, photolysis of the ketone 149 gave the 1-indanone 150 in 94% yield. It is worth mentioning that photolysis of the

Chemical probes for competitive profiling of the quorum sensing signal synthase PqsD of Pseudomonas aeruginosa

• Michaela Prothiwa,
• Dávid Szamosvári,
• Sandra Glasmacher and
• Thomas Böttcher

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2016, 12, 2784–2792, doi:10.3762/bjoc.12.277

• synthesized from the chroman-4-one 8 which was produced by base-catalyzed Knoevenagel reaction from 2-hydroxyacetophenone with octanal. Although the starting material was readily available, the reaction gave the product only in low yield (20–30%) and separation of the starting material from the product could

(Thio)urea-mediated synthesis of functionalized six-membered rings with multiple chiral centers

• Giorgos Koutoulogenis,
• Nikolaos Kaplaneris and
• Christoforos G. Kokotos

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2016, 12, 462–495, doi:10.3762/bjoc.12.48

• ) pathway of a Michael–retro-Michael–Michael–Michael reaction. The same year Zhao and co-workers reported a novel domino Michael–Knoevenagel reaction between 2-mercaptobenzaldehydes 163 and easily accessible Michael acceptors 169 catalyzed by 9-epi-aminoquinine thiourea 57 (Scheme 55) [76]. Various adducts

A hybrid electron donor comprising cyclopentadithiophene and dithiafulvenyl for dye-sensitized solar cells

• Gleb Sorohhov,
• Chenyi Yi,
• Michael Grätzel,
• Silvio Decurtins and
• Shi-Xia Liu

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2015, 11, 1052–1059, doi:10.3762/bjoc.11.118

• unit. Keywords: donor–acceptor systems; dye-sensitized solar cells; electrochemistry; intramolecular charge transfer; Knoevenagel reaction; tetrathiafulvalene; Introduction Dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have been intensively investigated as an alternative to silicon-based solar cells [1][2][3][4

Preparation of neuroprotective condensed 1,4-benzoxazepines by regio- and diastereoselective domino Knoevenagel–[1,5]-hydride shift cyclization reaction

• László Tóth,
• Yan Fu,
• Hai Yan Zhang,
• Attila Mándi,
• Katalin E. Kövér,
• Tünde-Zita Illyés,
• Attila Kiss-Szikszai,
• Balázs Balogh,
• Tibor Kurtán,
• Sándor Antus and
• Péter Mátyus

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2014, 10, 2594–2602, doi:10.3762/bjoc.10.272

• acid (13) and malononitrile (14) all containing active methylene groups, which initiated a domino reaction (Scheme 2). The Knoevenagel reaction of the formyl group in rac-5 and the active methylene groups of 12–14 afforded the intermediates rac-6a–c (Scheme 1), which underwent regioselective [1,5

Investigating the continuous synthesis of a nicotinonitrile precursor to nevirapine

• Ashley R. Longstreet,
• Suzanne M. Opalka,
• Brian S. Campbell,
• B. Frank Gupton and
• D. Tyler McQuade

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2013, 9, 2570–2578, doi:10.3762/bjoc.9.292

• acetone and malononitrile (Scheme 3) using the Vapourtec R series reactor system [38]. The batch synthesis commences with a Knoevenagel reaction condensing malononitrile and acetone catalyzed by aluminum oxide producing isopropylidenemalononitrile (4) [39][40]. The penultimate enamine 5 results by

• , we chose to employ a solid basic reagent that would simultaneously catalyze the Knoevenagel reaction and confine the reagent to the first step, as well as a solid desiccant to remove the water. Previously we have used solid catalysts and/or solid reagents in a number of continuous processes [41][42

• solvent costs. Recognizing this aspiration, we performed the aforementioned Knoevenagel reaction at 2.0 M. Considering that many process reactions run at 0.20 M, this starting concentration was high. The high starting concentration also allowed us to realize a 1.0 M reaction concentration once addition of

Raman spectroscopy as a tool for monitoring mesoscale continuous-flow organic synthesis: Equipment interface and assessment in four medicinally-relevant reactions

• Trevor A. Hamlin and
• Nicholas E. Leadbeater

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2013, 9, 1843–1852, doi:10.3762/bjoc.9.215

• procedure for monitoring the Knoevenagel reaction An analogous approach was used to prepare the Knoevenagel product as for the case of 1, benzaldehyde (5.306 g, 50 mmol, 1 equiv) being used in place of salicylaldehyde and there being no need for acetone interception of the product mixture. The Raman

• spectra with those obtained using NMR spectroscopy for the conversion of salicylaldehyde and ethyl acetoacetate to 3-acetylcoumarin (1). Product conversion obtained for four aldehyde substrates in the Knoevenagel reaction with ethyl acetoacetate. Product conversion obtained for four aldehyde substrates in

Amyloid-β probes: Review of structure–activity and brain-kinetics relationships

• Todd J. Eckroat,
• Abdelrahman S. Mayhoub and
• Sylvie Garneau-Tsodikova

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2013, 9, 1012–1044, doi:10.3762/bjoc.9.116

• imaging, particularly [18F]FDDNP (152), although this scaffold is also represented by only a few examples in the literature. Compound 152 was prepared starting from 1-(6-hydroxy-2-naphthyl)-1-ethanone (153) via a Bucherer reaction with 2-(methylamino)ethanol (154) followed by Knoevenagel reaction of 155

Reactions of salicylaldehyde and enolates or their equivalents: versatile synthetic routes to chromane derivatives

• Ishmael B. Masesane and
• Zelalem Yibralign Desta

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2012, 8, 2166–2175, doi:10.3762/bjoc.8.244

• cleavage of the MOM protected hydroxy group delivered the desired flavan 16 in good yield. On the basis of the above precedent by Xue and co-workers, our group accomplished the synthesis of an array of flavans of type 10 [19]. The synthesis begins with a Knoevenagel reaction of salicylaldehyde (5) and

• and co-workers achieved the synthesis of flavone 11 relying on the reaction of salicylaldehyde (5) and an enolate derived from acetophenone (7, Scheme 5) [20]. To begin, chalcone 9 was prepared in 85% yield by the Knoevenagel reaction of salicylaldehyde (5) and acetophenone (7) in the presence of KOH

• gave the corresponding product 36 in 71% yield (Scheme 12). In another approach, Ghorbani-Vaghei and co-workers used a N,N,N’,N’-tetrabromobenzene-1,3-disulfonamide (TBBDA) mediated Knoevenagel reaction of salicylaldehyde (5) and two equivalents of malononitrile (20) or its derivative 29 to give the

Organocatalytic tandem Michael addition reactions: A powerful access to the enantioselective synthesis of functionalized chromenes, thiochromenes and 1,2-dihydroquinolines

• Chittaranjan Bhanja,
• Satyaban Jena,
• Sabita Nayak and
• Seetaram Mohapatra

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2012, 8, 1668–1694, doi:10.3762/bjoc.8.191

• (up to 98% de). Later on the same group [71] developed another hydrogen-bond-mediated catalysis for the synthesis of tetrasubstituted thiochromans having three continuous stereocenters 49 following domino thio-Michael–Knoevenagel reaction between 2-mercaptobenzaldehydes 34 and benzylidenemalonates 48

• Córdova and co-workers. Enantioselective tandem Michael–Henry reaction of 2-mercaptobenzaldehyde with β-nitrostyrenes reported by Zhao. Enantioselective tandem Michael–Knoevenagel reaction between 2-mercaptobenzaldehydes and benzylidenemalonates, as developed by the Zhao group. Cinchona alkaloid thiourea

An overview of the key routes to the best selling 5-membered ring heterocyclic pharmaceuticals

• Marcus Baumann,
• Ian R. Baxendale,
• Steven V. Ley and
• Nikzad Nikbin

Beilstein J. Org. Chem. 2011, 7, 442–495, doi:10.3762/bjoc.7.57