Author(s)

Kamatala Chinna Rajanna, Kola Ramesh, Soma Ramgopal, Somannagari Shylaja, Pochampally Giridhar Reddy, Pondichery Kuppuswamy Saiprakash

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Poly ethylene glycols (PEG-200, 400, 600, 4000 and 6000) supported reactions were conducted with certain α, β-unsaturated acids in presence of metal nitrates under solvent free (solid state) and mineral acid free conditions. The reactants were ground in a mortar with a pestle for about 30 minutes. The aromatic acids underwent nitro decarboxylation and afforded β-nitro styrene derivatives in very good yield while α, β-unsaturated aliphatic carboxylic acids gave corresponding nitro derivatives. Addition of PEG accelerated rate of the reaction enormously. Reaction times substantially decreased from several hours to few minutes followed by highly significant increase in the product yield. Among the several PEGs PEG-300 has been found to be much more effective than other PEGs.

Poly Ethylene Glycols (PEG), Rate Accelerations, α, β-Unsaturated Acids; Metal Nitrates, Solvent Free (Solid State), β-Nitro Styrene Derivatives, α, β-Unsaturated Aliphatic Acids, Nitro Derivatives

K. Rajanna, K. Ramesh, S. Ramgopal, S. Shylaja, P. Reddy and P. Saiprakash, "Poly Ethylene Glycols as Efficient Media for the Synthesis of β-Nitro Styrenes from α, β-Unsaturated Carboxylic Acids and Metal Nitrates under Conventional and Non-Conventional Conditions," Green and Sustainable Chemistry, Vol. 1 No. 4, 2011, pp. 132-148. doi: 10.4236/gsc.2011.14022.