Synthesis of 2-aryl-1,3-propanediamines using a one-pot Knoevenagel-Michael sequence

Abstract

A simple synthetic route for the preparation of 2-phenyl-1,3-propanediamines, based on a Knoevenagel-Michael double condensation followed by reduction, was developed using nitromethane as reagent and solvent, and sodium bicarbonate as base in the first step, followed by catalytic hydrogenation over Adams catalyst.