Three‐Component Reactions of Aldehydes, Amines, and Alkynes/Alkenes Catalyzed by Trifluoromethanesulfonic Acid: An Efficient Route to Substituted Quinolines

Abstract

AbstractHerein, we have developed a facile and economic HOTf‐catalyzed synthesis for the construction of quinolines from aldehydes, amines, and alkynes/alkenes, which are readily available from commercial vendors. The electronic properties of the substituents on the aldehydes, amines, and alkynes/alkenes have been investigated. It was found that molecules with both electron‐donating and electron‐withdrawing substituents were suitable substrates for this transformation, and the expected products were obtained in moderate to excellent yields. The use of a single catalytic system to mediate chemical transformations in a synthetic operation is important for the development of new atom‐economic strategies and this strategy is efficient in building complex structures from simple starting materials in an environmentally benign fashion.