Amano lipase DF-catalyzed efficient synthesis of 2,2 '-arylmethylene dicyclohexane-1,3-dione derivatives in anhydrous media

A simple and efficient method was developed for the synthesis of 2,2'-arylmethylene dicyclohexane-1,3-dione derivatives via the Knoevenagel Michael cascade reactions of aromatic aldehydes and 1,3-cyclic diketones catalyzed by Amano lipase DF, which expands the application field of enzyme catalytic promiscuity. This protocol provides several advantages over the traditional chemical synthesis, such as simple work-up procedure, high yields (up to 94%) and environmental friendliness. (C) 2014 Li-Dan Ye. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society. All rights reserved.