Fast preparation of dihydrocyclocitral from citronellal under solventless microwave irradiation

Dihydrocyclocitral, a useful reagent in organic synthesis, has been synthesized in high yield and with high stereoselectivity from citronellal under microwave irradiation in two steps, involving acetic anhydride under base catalysis, then p-toluenesulfonic acid adsorbed on silica gel under solventless conditions (80% yield, reaction time 22 min).