The parameters like selectivity and overall yield, raw material, time, human resources, energy requirements, as well as the toxicity and hazard of the chemicals and the protocols involved are considered to be very important yard sticks for a neat and efficient organic synthesis. The development of multicomponent reactions (MCRs) in the presence of task-specific ionic liquids (ILs), used not only as environmentally benign reaction media, but also as catalysts, is a new approach that meet with the requirements of sustainable chemistry. Here, we propose the multicomponent condensation reaction of dimedone, aromatic aldehydes, and an aromatic amine under solvent-free conditions using the ionic liquid [Et₃NH]+ [BF₄]-. Short reaction time (40-55 min), good to high yields (90-95 %), not using the organic solvents and simple work-up procedure and the recyclability of the ionic liquid are some of the advantages of this method. The same reaction was carried out in other ionic liquids in order to prove that the proposed ionic liquid is more efficient than them.
Keywords: Ionic Liquids; Multicomponent Reactions; Green Chemistry; One Pot Synthesis