Repurposing fallen leaves to bio-based reaction medium for hydration, hydroxylation, carbon-carbon and carbon-nitrogen bond formation reactions

Abstract

A green reaction medium has been developed from the Water Extract of Teak leaf (Tectona grandis) ash (WET). The alkaline nature of the WET was successfully applied towards hydration of nitriles, conversion of arylboronic acids to phenols with 30% aqueous H2O2, Knoevenagel condensation for benzylidenemalononitrile derivatives formation and Chan-Lam reaction of arylboronic acids with imidazole derivatives. In current protocols dual role of WET as reaction medium as well as base has been explored. A wide range of substrates with varying electronic natures is compatible under these WET mediated reaction conditions with excellent yields.