Antimony(III) chloride-catalysed Biginelli reaction: a versatile method for the synthesis of dihydropyrimidinones through a different reaction mechanism

Antimony(III) chloride (20 mol %) in refluxing acetonitrile efficiently catalyses the synthesis of dihydropyrimidinones (50-90% yields) by the Biginelli reaction of aromatic aldehydes, acetoacetate esters and urea. This reaction proceeds through 3-ureido-crotonates followed by cyclisation with an aromatic aldehyde to the dihydropyrimidinone.