Abstract

An environmentally benign one pot synthesis of dihydropyridines and its use as hydrogen source in the reduction of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes and ketones using catalytic amount of BDMS at room temperature is described. An extensive study on the role of substituents on aldehyde for the formation of Hantzsch esters, reveals that presence of more than one electron donating substituents, hinders the formation of dihydropyridine derivative.

Keywords: Hantzsch esters, metal free catalyst, β-ketoester, reducing agents, dihydropyridines, substituent effects