PEG-mediated one-pot multicomponent reactions for the efficient synthesis of functionalized dihydropyridines and their functional group dependent DNA cleavage activity

• Multicomponent reaction for the synthesis of functionalized dihydropyridines reported.
• The reaction undergoes without any catalyst in presence of PEG as reusable medium.
• Some of the DHPs demonstrate appreciable metal-free nuclease activity.
• DNA cutting activity depends on the functional groups attached with dihydropyridine ring.

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) has been found to be an inexpensive, non-toxic and useful medium for the one pot synthesis of highly functionalized dihydropyridines using multicomponent reactions (MCRs) at room temperature under catalyst free conditions. The notable features of this protocol are: mild reaction condition, applicability to wide range of substrates, reusability of the PEG and good yields. The interaction of the synthesized compounds with pUC19 plasmid DNA was also analyzed. Some of the synthesized compounds showed interesting functional group dependent nuclease activity for plasmid DNA cleavage under physiological conditions.

Synthesis of dihydropyridines by one-pot multicomponent reaction under catalyst free conditions was achieved. Many derivatives showed functional group dependent DNA cleavage activities.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slide