1,3-Dipolar cycloaddition reactions of enaminones and azides: Synthesis of 4-acyl-1,2,3-triazoles and mechanistic studies

4-acyl-1,2,3-triazoles are an important and versatile chemical scaffold widely applied in medicinal chemists due to their interesting pharmacological properties. Acknowledging the constant need for a greener, simple and scalable methodology in medicinal chemistry, herein we report the synthesis of new 4-acyl-1,2,3-triazoles through the metal-free and solvent-free cycloaddition reactions between enaminones and aryl azides, obtaining yields of 41–77%. Based on experimental Hammett correlation and theoretical Quantum calculations data a reaction mechanism for 3-dipolar cycloadditions synthesis of 4-acyl-1,2,3-triazoles was proposed. [Display omitted] •New 4-acyl-1,2,3-triazoles were synthesized through 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition reaction.•Enaminones and aryl-azides were used as substrates for the metal and solvent-free methodology.•The mechanism of the reaction was experimentally investigated by the LFER.•The mechanism of the reaction was computationally investigated by DFT and LFER.