LETTER	Synlett 2006: 1549-1553   DOI: 10.1055/s-2006-941588
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York
Ceric Ammonium Nitrate Catalyzed aza-Michael Addition of Aliphatic Amines to α,β-Unsaturated Carbonyl Compounds and Nitriles in Water [1]
Ravi Varala, Nuvula Sreelatha, Srinivas R. Adapa*
Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, Hyderabad-500 007, India Fax: +91(40)27160921; e-Mail: rvarala_iict@yahoo.co.in;
Received 13 December 2005

Abstract

Ceric ammonium nitrate (3 mol%) efficiently catalyzes the aza-Michael reaction of amines with α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds in water to produce the corresponding β-amino carbonyl compounds in good to excellent yields (55-99%) for most of the compounds under mild conditions. The reaction is procedurally simple and displays limited chemoselectivity, as aromatic amines were found to be unreactive.

Key words

ceric ammonium nitrate - aza-Michael reaction - aliphatic amines - α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds

1

IICT Communication number: 050617.