The concise synthesis of tetrasubstituted furan-based Schiff base compounds via a one-pot method

Abstract

A novel one-pot two-step three-component reaction synthesis strategy for the efficient assembly of tetrasubstituted furan-based Schiff base compounds, creating a bioactive compound library, is reported. Under mild reaction conditions, a total of 39 target products, including 35 novel compounds, can be concisely obtained in moderate to excellent yields, demonstrating broad functional-group tolerance. Notably, this approach obviates the need for expensive metal catalysts and eliminates the purification process for intermediate compounds, thereby streamlining the synthetic process and aligning with green chemistry principles. What's more, antimicrobial activity assays of the synthesized compounds also provide a preliminary insight into their structure–activity relationships, laying a foundation for potential pharmaceutical applications and subsequent structural optimization.