Synthesis of β-Hydroxy Ketones with Nickel Oxide Nanoparticles as an EfficientCatalyst

Finding an optimised methodology to synthesizechiral products has always been challenging insynthetic organic chemistry, particularly the formationof carbon-carbon bonds adhering to the existingstereochemistry [۱]. Cross-aldol reaction has beenconsidered one of the most powerful and efficientmeasures for the formation of C-C bond. The reactionhas proven to be a powerful and general method forthe stereocontrolled construction of β-hydroxy ketonederivatives [۲] and has relevant application in thesynthesis of carbohydrates, amino sugars, steroids,natural heteroatomic molecules, fine chemicals andpharmaceuticals [۳]. There are several methods tosynthesized aldol products. Metal oxidenanoparticles find excellent applications as catalystsfor various organic transformations [۴]. Despite thesereports, it is still important to develop new efficientmethod for the cross aldol reactions in mild reactionconditions.In this research, a diastereoselective cross aldolreaction between cycloalkanones and variousheteroaromatic aldehydes in the presence of acatalytic amount of nickel oxide nanoparticles isdescribed. The results show the efficient catalytic roleof nickel oxide nanoparticles under ultrasonicirradiation (Fig. ۱). The cross aldol reaction of variouscycloalkanones with heteroaromatic aldehydes usingcatalytic amount of NiO NPs proceeded smoothlyunder ultrasonic irradiation to give the correspondingaldol adducts in moderate to good yields withcomplete diastereoselectivity.

Keywords:

Nanoparticles , Aldolization , Catalytic reaction