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P.V. Shinde et al. / Chinese Chemical Letters 22 (2011) 915–918
The Mannich reaction involving phenol, formaldehyde and primary amines is the best method available for the
synthesis of 1,3-oxazines. Several methods involving the use of different catalysts [20] have been developed with their
own merits and demerits. Considering the above discussed significance of PEG and 1,3-oxazine compounds, and in
continuation of our endeavor towards the development of ecofriendly synthetic protocols [21], it was thought
worthwhile to develop a new, simple, greener, and expeditious synthetic route to 1,3-oxazine derivatives.
1. Experimental
Melting points were determined on a Veego apparatus and are uncorrected. Infrared spectra were recorded on a
1
Bruker spectrophotometer in a KBr disc, and the absorption bands are expressed in cmÀ1. H NMR and 13C NMR
spectra were recorded on NMR spectrometer AC200 in DMSO-d6, chemical shifts (d) are in (parts per million) ppm
relative to TMS. Mass spectra were taken on a macro-mass spectrometer (waters) by electro-spray (ES) method.
Typical experimental procedure for synthesis of compound (4a): a-Naphthol 1 (1 mmol), formaldehyde 2
(2.2 mmol) and aniline 3a (1 mmol) were mixed in a dry round-bottomed flask (25 mL), to which PEG-400 (0.3 mL)
was added and reaction mixture was allowed to stir vigorously. Progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC. After
completion of the reaction, water (5 mL) was added to the reaction mass and obtained solid was filtered out and
washed with water. Thus obtained crude product was recrystallized from aqueous ethanol to afford the pure product
(4a).
3,4-Dihydro-3-phenyl-2H-naphtho[2,1-e][1,3]oxazine (4a): IR (KBr, cmÀ1): v 1027, 1219; 1H NMR (DMSO-d6,
200 MHz): d 4.73 (s, 2H, –Ar–CH2–N–), 5.50 (s, 2H, –O–CH2–N–), 6.89–7.58 (m, 11H, Ar–H); 13C NMR (DMSO-d6,
50 MHz): d 48.9, 79.6, 112.2, 115.7, 117.0, 120.1, 120.7, 124.5, 125.9, 126.2, 126.8, 127.6, 129.5, 133.4, 147.7, 149.0;
ES-MS: 262.18 (M+).
3,4-Dihydro-3-o-tolyl-2H-naphtho[2,1-e][1,3]oxazine (4b): IR (KBr, cmÀ1): v 1033, 1237; 1H NMR (DMSO-d6,
200 MHz): d 2.24 (q, 3H, CH3), 4.86 (s, 2H, –Ar–CH2–N–), 5.77 (s, 2H, –O–CH2–N–), 6.84–7.61 (m, 10H, Ar–H); 13
C
NMR (DMSO-d6, 50 MHz): d 19.9, 50.6, 78.6, 113.7, 116.4, 117.1, 119.5, 120.8, 125.1, 125.8, 126.1, 126.8, 127.9,
129.7, 130.4, 147.0, 147.4, 149.5, 150.8; ES-MS: 276.31 (M+).
3,4-Dihydro-3-p-tolyl-2H-naphtho[2,1-e][1,3]oxazine (4c): IR (KBr, cmÀ1): v 1025, 1238; 1H NMR (DMSO-d6,
200 MHz): d 2.37 (s, 3H, CH3), 4.94 (s, 2H, –Ar–CH2–N–), 5.67 (s, 2H, –O–CH2–N–), 6.90–7.82 (m, 10H, Ar–H); 13
NMR (DMSO-d6, 50 MHz): d 21.5, 49.1, 79.3, 110.7, 115.4, 117.8, 119.1, 120.1, 124.9, 125.5, 126.0, 126.6, 127.4,
C
129.2, 132.0, 148.3, 148.2; ES-MS: 276.24 (M+).
2. Results and discussion
For our initial study, one-pot three-component reaction of a-naphthol, formaldehyde and aniline was considered as
a standard model reaction (Scheme 1). To effect the model reaction, various attempts were made using polyethylene
glycol (PEG) 400 in different amounts (Table 1, entry 2) and best result was achieved when 0.3 mL of PEG 400 was
employed for 1 mmol of aniline (Table 1, entry 2). Using more than 0.3 mL of PEG 400 did not improve the yield of
the product, and at the same time, no reaction took place in the absence of PEG 400 (Table 1, entry 1). Thus, the use of
PEG found to be absolutely essential for the reaction.
In subsequent optimization studies, PEG was used in combination with various solvent systems (Table 1, entries 3–
7). However, use of solvents for the reaction failed to improve the product yield and rate of the reaction. Rather,
solvent-free conditions worked well for the reaction. Since, only 0.3 mL of PEG 400 is used it cannot act as a solvent,
but it plays the role of promoter for the reaction without need of any additional catalyst.
[()TD$FIG]
Ph
N
Ph
OH
O
N
OH
O
PEG-400
PEG-400
HCHO Ph NH2
HCHO
Ph NH2
1
2
3a
5
2
6a
4a
3a
Scheme 1.