Regioselective installation of enolizable ketones and unprotected mercaptoacetic acid into olefins using GO as a phase transfer catalyst

Abstract

We report herein an unprecedented conjugate addition of enolizable ketones and unprotected mercaptoacetic acid to electron-poor alkenes using graphene oxide as a phase transfer catalyst. The envisaged protocol is versatile and applicable to structurally different Michael acceptors such as α,β-unsaturated aldehyde/ketone/acid/ester/amide/nitrile, and β-nitroalkene to afford their corresponding adducts. Regioselectivity of the product operational simplicity, ambient reaction conditions, excellent yield of products (up to 92%), and recyclability of the catalyst up to five times without any substantial change in morphology as well as catalytic efficiency are the salient features of the envisaged protocol.