Silica nanoparticles as a highly efficient catalyst for the one-pot synthesis of sterically congested 2-(dibenzylamino)-2-aryl acetamide derivatives from by phthaldehyde isomers, isocyanides and dibenzylamine

Abstract

A green and efficient method for the preparation of 2-(dibenzylamino)-2-aryl acetamide derivatives via a three-component reaction of an isocyanide, dibenzylamine and a phthalaldehyde derivative in the presence of silica nanoparticles (silica NPs, ca. 42 nm) as a catalyst under solvent free conditions at room temperature is described. The ease of work-up, green chemistry conditions and high yields of the products make this procedure a useful addition to modern synthetic methods. The silica nanoparticles that used in this reaction as a catalyst were prepared by thermal decomposition of rice hulls. Simple, green and cheap method for the preparation of the nanocatalyst represents a major advantage for this process. The structures of these compounds were confirmed by IR, ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy.

KEY WORDS: Silica nanoparticles, Nanocatalyst, Isocyanide, Phthalaldehyde

Bull. Chem. Soc. Ethiop. 2016, 30(3), 413-420

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/bcse.v30i3.9