A Liquid–Liquid Biphasic Homogeneous Organocatalytic Aldol Protocol Based on the Use of a Silica Gel Bound Multilayered Ionic Liquid Phase

Abstract

An innovative two stage liquid–liquid biphasic homogeneous protocol for the asymmetric organocatalytic aldol reaction is proposed, based on the use of the cis-ion-tagged proline 8 dissolved in the liquid film of a multilayered ionic liquid covalently bonded to silica gel 4. The resulting catalytically active material 9 is first soaked with cyclohexanone in the presence of water, resulting in a semi-transparent gel, then the aldehyde is added and the mixture stirred at RT. In the first stage, 4 acts as a catalyst reservoir that delivers 8 to the cyclohexanone phase allowing the reaction to take place homogeneously. In the second stage, cyclohexanone is removed under vacuum and the resulting slurry is extracted with anhydrous diethylether. Now 4 acts as a catalyst sponge, redissolving 8. Product extraction is extremely selective; no trace of catalyst is detected in the product-containing phase, and 9 can be easily reused several times with high cumulative productivity values (up to 523).