Catalyst-free reductive amination of levulinic acid to N-substituted pyrrolidinones with formic acid in continuous-flow microreactor

Abstract

The reductive amination of levulinic acid to N-substituted pyrrolidinones was performed in a continuous-flow microreactor (CFMR) in high yield, using formic acid as hydrogen source and acetonitrile as the reaction solvent. The developed protocol allows the avoidance of high boiling solvents such as DMSO and the additive triethylamine, more commonly associated with this synthetic transformation. As a result, the reaction products are more readily separated from the low boiling solvent.