Bentonite clay as a novel base heterogeneous catalyst in Knoevenagel Condensation of aldehydes with ethyl cyanoacetate in water

Abstract

Facilely available and cost-efficient bentonite clay was physically purified and chemically modified to investigate the catalytic activity in the heterogeneous catalysis in Knoevenagel condensation of aromatic aldehydes with ethyl cyanoacetate. The classical method of performing this reaction has various environmental issues and limits its industrial applications. This study, to develop modified bentonite clay as a heterogeneous base catalyst for use in Knoevenagel condensation as an alternative to hazardous base catalysts like pyridine, piperidine, etc., Here, the catalytic activities of purified and other incorporated bentonite clays were investigated for the Knoevenagel condensation of aromatic aldehydes with ethyl cyanoacetate. A comparison was made between the catalytic properties of unmodified purified bentonite clay and different metal-incorporated bentonite clays. These catalysts give excellent yields and are inexpensive and easily recyclable for this reaction