01721nas a2200145   4500008004100000245018400041210006900225260000800294300001400302490000600316520107200322100002201394700002901416856013001445       2016                        eng d00aCascade synthesis of 2-cyanoacrylamides through deacetalization and/or knoevenagelcondensation followed by selective monohydration of acetals and aldehydes over solid acidferrites0 aCascade synthesis of 2cyanoacrylamides through deacetalization a  cAUG  a2678-26870 v83 aA new protocol of cascade synthesis for biologically active 2-cyanoacrylamides (1) was developed. The reaction proceeds over a novel magnetically retrievable solid-acid composite of iron oxide, poly(vinylpyrrolidone) and phosphotungstic acid (Fe3O4/PVP-PWA) in AcOH-H2O medium under reflux conditions. This transformation is facilitated through single-site Bronsted acid catalyzed cascade reactions involving deacetalization and/or Knoevenagel condensation followed by selective monohydration of nitriles starting from acetals (5) and aldehydes (2) with malononitrile (3). A series of aldehydes, dimethyl and diethyl acetals, along with some heterocyclic aldehydes were successfully transformed to 2-cyanoacrylamides with >95% yields. TEM images confirmed the coating of the PVP over nanosized Fe3O4. Stereoselective monohydration of 2-benzylidenemalononitriles (4) to E isomers was demonstrated by NOESY experiments. The catalyst could be efficiently recycled seven times on employment of both acetals and aldehydes as substrates, as a result of its magnetic nature.1 aKamble, Sumit, B.1 aRode, Chandrashekhar, V.  uhttps://library.ncl.res.in/content/cascade-synthesis-2-cyanoacrylamides-through-deacetalization-andor-knoevenagelcondensation