Unsaturated aldehydes base-catalyzed hydration

Mechanism of Base-Catalyzed Hydration of o ,/3-Unsaturated Aldehydes and Ketones... 

There also exists an acidregioselective condensation of the aldol type, namely the Mannich reaction (B. Reichert, 1959 H. Hellmann, 1960 see also p. 291f.). The condensation of secondary amines with aldehydes yields Immonium salts, which react with ketones to give 3-amino ketones (=Mannich bases). Ketones with two enolizable CHj-groupings may form 1,5-diamino-3-pentanones, but monosubstitution products can always be obtained in high yield. Unsymmetrical ketones react preferentially at the most highly substituted carbon atom. Sterical hindrance can reverse this regioselectivity. Thermal elimination of amines leads to the a,)3-unsaturated ketone. Another efficient pathway to vinyl ketones starts with the addition of terminal alkynes to immonium salts. On mercury(ll) catalyzed hydration the product is converted to the Mannich base (H. Smith, 1964). 

The COj species in the HT interlayer could be exchanged with OH ions by calcination at 723 K and hydration at room temperature. A spinel phase of Mg-Al mixed oxide obtained after the calcination transforms into the original layered structure during the hydration. This reconstruction is known as the memory effect of HT materials. The reconstructed HT catalyzed the Knoevenagel condensation of various aldehydes with nitriles in the presence of water [119]. The reconstracted HT also showed an aqueous Michael reaction of nitriles with a,p-unsaturated compounds. The layered double-hydroxide-supported diisopropylamine catalyzed the Knoevenagel condensation of aromatic carbonyl compounds with malononitrile or ethyl cyanoacetate [120]. This solid base could be recycled at least four times, and exhibited activity for aldol, Henry, Michael, transesterification, and epoxidation of alkenes. 

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