Water-mediated oxalic acid catalysed one-pot synthesis of 2-(substituted phenyl) phthalazin-1(2H)-ones

A simple one-pot, water-mediated synthetic method for the preparation of 2-(substituted phenyl) phthalazin-1(2H)-ones is described through the reaction of phthalaldehydic acid, substituted phenyl hydrazine and oxalic acid (catalyst). The major advantages of the proposed method are its simplicity, short reaction time, easy work-up, inexpensive catalyst, and good yields.