Microwave-promoted morita-baylis-hillman reactions: efficient synthesis of new monoacylglycerols (MAGs) as potential anti-parasitic compounds

In this article we describe microwave irradiation promoting the synthesis of a hydrophilic monoacylglycerol, MAG, by hydrolysis of acrylate (15 min, 100%). After, MAG was transformed in hydrophilic Morita-Baylis-Hillman adducts (MBHA), (54-82%, pathway 1). In pathway 2, the different lipophilic MBHAs were prepared in high yields (90-100%) and transformed on hydrophilic MBHA, in 70-90%. Through the high temperature synthesis of one MBHA, a unprecedented indolizine formation was detected by GC-MS, . All results are in agreement with the new unified mechanism to the Morita-Baylis-Hillman reaction. These new monoacylglycerols, as well the its synthetic precursors, are new potential antiparasitic compounds.