A regioselective three-component reaction of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes, cyclic 1,3-dicarbonyls and 6-aminouracils in the presence of FeCl3·6H2O as catalyst under microwave irradiation has been demonstrated. Three-component reaction of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes like cinnamaldehyde/crotonaldehyde, cyclic 1,3-diketones such as 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthaquinone/dimedone and 6-aminouracils provides regioselective pyrimidine-fused tetrahydropyridines tethered with cyclic 1,3-diketones. On the other hand, replacing cyclic 1,3-diketones by 4-hydroxycoumarin and keeping all other conditions the same provided a two-component pyrimidine-fused pyridines. The salient features of this methodology are operational simplicity, short reaction time, good-to-moderate yields of the products, easy purification method and regioselective products having medicinally important heterocyclic rings such as pyrimidine, tetrahydropyridine or pyridine.
Keywords: FeCl3·6H2O; Microwave-assisted reactions; Multicomponent reactions; Pyridines; Pyrimidine-fused tetrahydropyridines.