Effect of atmosphere on solid-state amine-aldehyde condensations: gas-phase catalysts for solid-state transformations.

The presence of water or organic solvent vapour accelerates the solid-state condensation of solid aromatic amines and aromatic aldehydes into Schiff bases; we show the important role of catalytic triethylamine in the vapour phase in such vapour digestion synthesis, as well as in the liquid phase in synthesis via liquid-assisted grinding.