One-Pot Synthesis of Substituted Δ1-Pyrrolines through the Michael Addition of Nitroalkanes to Chalcones and Subsequent Reductive Cyclization in Aqueous Media

Abstract A facile and efficient one-pot synthesis of substituted Δ 1 -pyrrolines in aqueous media has been developed. Upon treatment with aqueous sodium hydroxide in N,N-dimethylformamide, a range of chalcones underwent room temperature Michael addition reactions with nitroalkanes. The resulting adducts were directly reduced in situ with Zn/HCl (aq) and subsequently underwent an intramolecular cyclization, affording the corresponding substituted Δ 1 -pyrrolines in high yields.