Sulfamic acid: an efficient, cost-effective and recyclable solid acid catalyst for the Friedlander quinoline synthesis

o-Aminoaryl ketones undergo smooth condensation with α-methylene ketones in the presence of sulfamic acid (NH2SO3H) (SA) under mild reaction conditions to afford the corresponding polysubstituted quinolines in excellent yields. The catalyst can be recovered by simple filtration and can be recycled in subsequent reactions. The method is simple, cost-effective and environmentally benign.