MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comparative study was conducted using two as-obtained and four commercially available nitrogen-based organocatalysts in Knoevenagel condensation reactions. The synthesis of CS gas (2-chlorobenzylidene malononitrile) using a closed catalytic system was optimized based on their efficiency and greener approach.
RESULTS: The conversion of 100% and excellent yields were obtained in a short time. The products could be crystallized directly from the reaction mixture. After separating pure products, the resi-due solution was employed directly in the next run without any concentration, activation, purification, or separation. Furthermore, the synthesis of 2-chlorobenzylidenemahmonitrile (CS) was carried out on a large scale using imidazole as a selected nitrogen-based catalyst, afforded crys-talline products with 95±2% yield in five consecutive runs.
CONCLUSION: Energy efficiency, cost saving, greener conditions, using only 5 mol% of organo-catalyst, high recyclability of catalyst, prevention of waste, recycling extractant by a rotary evaporator for non-crystallized products, demonstrated the potential commercial production of CS using imidazole in ethanol as an efficient and highly recyclable catalytic system.