Highly efficient one-pot three-component Mannich reaction in water catalyzed by heteropoly acids.

[reaction: see text] Heteropoly acids efficiently catalyzed the one-pot, three-component Mannich reaction of ketones with aromatic aldehydes and different amines in water at ambient temperature and afforded the corresponding beta-amino carbonyl compounds in good to excellent yields and with moderate diastereoselectivity. This method provides a novel and improved modification of the three-component Mannich reaction in terms of mild reaction conditions and clean reaction profiles, using very a small quantity of catalyst and a simple workup procedure.