Green catalytic synthesis of 14-aryl-14H-dibenzo[a,j]xanthenes using recyclable mesoporous zirconia modified with tungstophosphoric acid

Abstract

A simple and efficient procedure has been developed for the preparation of aryl-14H-dibenzo[a,j]xanthenes by a one-pot condensation of 2-naphthol and aryl aldehydes, in the presence of mesoporous zirconia modified with tungstophosphoric acid (ZrTPA60BT100), to be used as a heterogeneous catalyst in a solvent-free medium using conventional heating. The present approach offers the advantages of clean reaction, simple methodology, short reaction time, and high yield. The reaction work-up is very simple and the catalyst can be easily separated from the reaction mixture and reused several times in subsequent reactions without appreciable loss of the catalytic activity.