BACKGROUND The spiro- indole-pyrrolidine ring system is a frequently encountered structural motif in many biologically important and pharmacologically relevant alkaloids. The derivatives of spirooxindole ring systems are used as antimicrobial, antitumour agents and as inhibitors of the human NKI receptor besides being found in a number of alkaloids like horsifiline, spirotryprostatin and (+) el...

A simple and efficient procedure for the synthesis of 2-amino-3-cyanopyridines from aldehydes, ketones, malononitrile, and ammonium acetate via one-pot reaction is reported. Zinc zirconium phosphate (ZPZn) nanoparticles were used as a convenient and efficient catalyst for this multicomponent reaction (MCR) under solvent-free conditions, and fair to excellent yields were achieved. The catalyst w...