One-pot synthesis

In <a href="/facts/Chemistry/SrNqkGVm">chemistry</a> a one-pot synthesis is a strategy to improve the efficiency of a <a href="/facts/Chemical_reaction/GpqWlKrz">chemical reaction</a> in which a <a href="/facts/Reactant/c3GLInCu">reactant</a> is subjected to successive chemical reactions in just one reactor. This is much desired by chemists because avoiding a lengthy <a href="/facts/Separation_process/8Ie5Lv5Y">separation process</a> and <a href="/facts/List_of_purification_methods_in_chemistry/fSh2XHfh">purification</a> of the intermediate <a href="/facts/Chemical_compounds/37FXqqtv">chemical compounds</a> can save time and resources while increasing <a href="/facts/Chemical_yield/fkBhd9dH">chemical yield</a>.
An example of a one-pot synthesis is the <a href="/facts/Total_synthesis/3GGoqhBm">total synthesis</a> of <a href="/facts/Tropinone/S1I91d73">tropinone</a> or the <a href="/facts/Gassman_indole_synthesis/lwNbrrzG">Gassman indole synthesis</a>. Sequential one-pot syntheses can be used to generate even complex targets with multiple <a href="/facts/Stereocentre/t3XGwk1Q">stereocentres</a>, such as <a href="/facts/Oseltamivir/nmseGgx6">oseltamivir</a>, which may significantly shorten the number of steps required overall and have important commercial implications.
A sequential one-pot synthesis with reagents added to a reactor one at a time and without <a href="/facts/Work-up_(chemistry)/LURlLf4C">work-up</a> is also called a telescoping synthesis.
In one such procedure the reaction of 3-N-tosylaminophenol I with <a href="/facts/Acrolein/1gdt9D3f">acrolein</a> II affords a <a href="/facts/Phenols/xs1CtNTa">hydroxyl</a> substituted <a href="/facts/Quinoline/kJyUItFu">quinoline</a> III through 4 sequential steps without workup of the intermediate products (see image). The addition of acrolein (blue) is a <a href="/facts/Michael_reaction/yqLD22AQ">Michael reaction</a> catalyzed by <a href="/facts/N%2cN-diisopropylamine/jfMA8ENj">N,N-diisopropylamine</a>, the presence of <a href="/facts/Ethanol/3lCLfBSP">ethanol</a> converts the <a href="/facts/Aldehyde/xSIRkW03">aldehyde</a> group to an <a href="/facts/Acetal/DuwXfBMz">acetal</a> but this process is reversed when <a href="/facts/Hydrochloric_acid/HqItJlUT">hydrochloric acid</a> is introduced (red). The <a href="/facts/Enolate/D13WdFNR">enolate</a> reacts as an <a href="/facts/Electrophile/1AHFg1zm">electrophile</a> in a <a href="/facts/Friedel-Crafts_reaction/N65aEdXA">Friedel-Crafts reaction</a> with ring-closure. The <a href="/facts/Alcohol_(chemistry)/Y0SCTDkh">alcohol</a> group is <a href="/facts/Elimination_reaction/7LSBwU3P">eliminated</a> in presence of <a href="/facts/Potassium_hydroxide/NBhPBuXc">potassium hydroxide</a> (green) and when in the final step the reaction medium is neutralized to <a href="/facts/PH/RnSv8D7y">pH</a> 7 (magenta) the <a href="/facts/Tosyl/Q4qU62D1">tosyl</a> group is eliminated as well.

One-pot synthesis open-in-new

One-pot synthesis