VCl3 catalyzed imine-based multicomponent reactions for the facile access of functionalized tetrahydropyridines and β-amino carbonyls.

A simple, mild, and highly efficient method has been developed for the preparation of functionalized tetrahydropyridines and β-amino carbonyls from the multicomponent reactions involving in situ imines and vanadium (III) chloride as a Lewis acid. The multicomponent reaction of two equivalents of aromatic aldehyde, two equivalents of amine, and one equivalent β-keto ester in the presence of catalytic amount of VCl(3) provides highly atom economic five-component tetrahydropyridines in very good yields. The same catalyst was found useful for the efficient synthesis of a wide variety of β-amino ketones using direct-type Mannich reaction of aromatic aldehyde, amine, and aromatic ketones. The notable advantages of this method are simple procedure, short reaction time and good yields, and applicable to broad range of substrates.