MCM-41 catalyzed rapid and efficient one-pot synthesis of polyhydroquinolines via the Hantzsch reaction under solvent-free conditions

A one-pot four-component reaction of aldehydes, 5,5-dimethyl-1,3-cyclohexanedione, ethyl acetoacetate and ammonium acetate has efficiently been carried out in the presence of 1 mol% of MCM-41 as a heterogeneous catalyst in a solvent-free media at 90 °C to form the corresponding polyhydroquinoline derivatives via the Hantzsch reaction. The present methodology offers several advantages such as excellent yields, simple procedure, short reaction time (15–25 min), milder conditions and the remarkable reusability of the catalyst, MCM-41.