Organocatalytic, Asymmetric Aldol Reactions with a Sustainable Catalyst in a Green Solvent

Abstract

Green solvents: Cyclic carbonates (ethylene and propylene carbonate) make excellent, sustainable solvents for (S)-proline catalyzed cross-aldol reactions between ketones and aromatic aldehydes. With cyclohexanone as the enamine precursor, reactions in ethylene carbonate gave much better results compared to propylene carbonate, whereas with acetone as the enamine precursor, reactions in both solvents gave similar results.