Calcium oxide nanoparticles catalyzed one-step multicomponent synthesis of highly substituted pyridines in aqueous ethanol media

An efficient one-pot three-component condensation of aldehydes, thiols and malononitrile has been developed in the presence of calcium oxide nanoparticles. Highly substituted pyridines as privileged medicinal scaffolds have been efficiently prepared via carbon–carbon and carbon–heteroatom bond formation. This method provides a novel and improved approach for the synthesis of 2-amino-4-aryl-3,5-dicyano-6-sulfanylpyridines in terms of excellent yields, short reaction times, reusability and little catalyst loading.