Expanding the Utility of One-Pot Multistep Reaction Networks

Significance

Multistep sequential organic transformations were realized in a one-pot procedure by a combination of acid, base, and hydrogenation catalysts which were immobilized on polymer beads, ferrite nanoparticles, and a membrane, respectively. Thus, the combination of a resin-supported acidic catalyst (green), a nanoparticle-bound basic catalyst (blue) and a membrane-enclosed Pt/Al₂O₃ catalyst (yellow) promoted the tandem deacetalization-Knoevenagel hydrogenation reaction of benzaldehyde dimethylacetal (A) in the presence of water, malononitrile, and H₂ at room temperature for 49 h (1 h at 1 atm, and 48 h at 1000 psi) to give D in 78% yield in a one-pot reaction. After the reaction, the three catalysts were readily separated and recovered. Pt/Al₂O₃ was recovered with a membrane, resin-supported acidic catalyst and the nanoparticle-bound basic catalyst were recovered by magnetic decantation and gravimetric decantation, respectively.