FeCl3 catalysed two consecutive aminomethylation at the α-position of the β-dicarbonyl compounds: an easy access to hexahydropyrimidines and its spiro analogues

Multicomponent synthesis of 1,3-diaryl-hexahydropyrimidines by a one-pot reaction of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds, amines and formaldehyde catalysed by FeCl3 in dichloromethane at room temperature (25–30 °C) has been reported. Double amino methylation occurs at the α-position of the 1,3-dicabonyl compounds/β-keto esters. The same methodology leads to spiro compounds with indane-1,3-dione. In this reaction, six molecules condense in one pot to form six new covalent bonds, thus, creating high atom economy. This is the first report of the synthesis of the substituted hexahydropyrimidines involving β-keto esters and its spiro analogues with indane-1,3-dione.