Cascadeone-pot three component, solvent free, green reactions of polyols and alkyl carbonates with phenols or amines

In recent years development of environmentally friendly chemical synthesis is gaining considerable interest both in academia and industrial research. In this context, the replacement of toxic and volatile organic reagents and solvents as reaction media with environmentally acceptable alternatives such as chemicals from renewable resources (biomass products) are preferable. Polyfunctional molecules that are C-3 natural polyols glycerol or its derivatives (such as glycerol carbonate and diglycerol), serinol, iso-serinol have been proposed as valuable starting materials for synthesis of pharmaceutical compounds and polymers. Glycerol, in particular, has potential as green solvent for catalysis, organic synthesis, separations and materials chemistry, but can also be converted into value-added new chemicals. In this context we have focused our attention on cascade one pot three component reactions of glycerol/glycerol derivatives, dialkyl carbonates with phenols or amines, with or without catalyst/solvent in mild conditions and with high productivity. Steric factors and linear carbonate ester of glycerol/derivatives dominate the selectivity for terminal to internal isomers and polysubstitution . Factors affecting the selective mono-functionalization were established.