PPh3‐catalyzed knoevenagel condensation: A facile synthesis of 5‐(1H‐indol‐3‐yl)Meth‐ ylene)‐2, 2‐Dimethyl‐1, 3‐Dioxane‐4, 6‐dione,and their N‐alkyl derivatives by using peg‐600 as the reaction medium

Triphenylphosphine (TPP) has been utilized as a novel and efficient catalyst for the Knoevenagel condensation of indole‐3‐carboxaldehydes 1(a–e) , 1‐methyl‐1H‐indole‐3‐carboxaldehydes 4(a–e) , and 1‐ethyl‐1H‐indole‐3‐carboxaldehydes 6(a–e) with the active methylene compound, that is, meldrum's acid ( 2 ), to afford substituted derivatives 5‐((1H‐indol‐3‐yl) methylene)‐2,2‐dimethyl‐1,3‐dioxane‐4,6‐dione 3(a–e) , 2,2‐dimethyl‐5‐((1‐methyl‐1H‐indol‐3‐yl)methylene)‐1,3‐dioxane‐4,6‐dione 5(a–e) , and 2,2‐dimethyl‐5‐((1‐ethyl‐1H‐indol‐3‐yl)methylene)‐1,3‐dioxane‐4,6‐dione 7(a–e) , respectively, in ethanol medium at RT just within 1 h in excellent yields. The products 3(a–e) were reacted independently with alkylating agents, that is, DMS and DES in the presence of PEG‐600 as an efficient and green solvent, to afford the corresponding N‐substituted methyl and ethyl derivatives 5(a–e) and 7(a–e) , respectively. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Heteroatom Chem 23:41–48, 2012; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com . DOI 10.1002/hc.20750