Phosphine oxide-decorated polymer immobilized ionic liquid stabilized RuNPs catalyse the hydrogenation of aryl ketones with remarkable selectivity for C?O bond, complete to cyclohexylalcohol and levulinic acid ?-valerolactone.

Decatungstate W(10)O(32)(4-) heterogenized on a novel hydrophobically-organomodified SBA-15 was proven an efficient, green and reusable catalyst for photooxygenation by oxygen of a range of aryl alkanes to the corresponding ketones under mild conditions.

The sustainable byproduct catalyzed domino strategy has been performed for the facile synthesis of α-formyloxy and acetoxy ketones via iodination/nucleophilic substitution/hydrolyzation/oxidation sequences from simple and readily available aromatic ketones/unsaturated methyl ketones.

A simple and convenient method was developed for the preparation of hindered tertiary amines via direct reductive amination of ketones with secondary aryl amines, using trichlorosilane as reducing agent and tetramethylethylenediamine (TMEDA) as organic Lewis base activator. A broad range of ketones were reacted with N-methylaniline to afford the corresponding tertiary amine products in high yie...

Direct C-F functionalization of benzylic sp(3) C-H bonds is a synthetic challenge that has yet to be propitiously overcome. A mild, one-pot synthesis of monofluorinated benzylic substrates is reported with commercially available iron(II) acetylacetonate and Selectfluor in good to excellent yields and selectivity. A convenient route to β-fluorinated products of 3-aryl ketones is also highlighted...

An environmentally benign, clean and general protocol was developed for the synthesis of aryl and heteroaryl trans-chalcones. This method involved solvent-free reaction conditions under microwave irradiation in the presence of a clay-based catalyst, and afforded the target compounds in good yields and short reaction times. Furthermore, the same conditions allowed the synthesis of symmetrical, d...

The direct β-activation of saturated aldehydes and ketones has long been an elusive transformation. We found that photoredox catalysis in combination with organocatalysis can lead to the transient generation of 5π-electron β-enaminyl radicals from ketones and aldehydes that rapidly couple with cyano-substituted aryl rings at the carbonyl β-position. This mode of activation is suitable for a bro...

The brucine N-oxide promoted Morita-Baylis-Hillman (MBH) reaction of vinyl ketones with aldehydes has been achieved. The corresponding asymmetric version of MBH reaction was also investigated, and the electron-deficient aryl aldehydes have emerged as suitable reaction partners for vinyl ketones; where proline was employed as a co-catalyst. In this dual catalyst system, proline is believed to fo...

The addition of heteroaryllithium to various ketones followed by dehydration gave 1-(2-heteroaryl)cycloalkenes and (2-hetero- aryl)alkenes. When alkenes were treated with 10 mol% NIS, calix[4]thiophenes and calix[4]furans were obtained in good yields.

The reactions of aromatic aldehydes with ketones in the presence of various acids were examined. The reactions generate (E)-1-aryl-1-alkenes in the presence of boron trifluoride diethyl etherate in nonnucleophilic solvents.