Na2S-catalyzed dehydrogenative condensation of 2-aminobenzyl alcohols and ketones: a synthesis of quinolines.

We report sodium sulfide as a simple, inexpensive, yet powerful and sustainable catalyst for synthesizing quinolines and 1,8-naphthyridines. This new method involves the dehydrogenative condensation of 2-aminobenzyl alcohols with ketones and proceeds under mild heating conditions. It also demonstrates a broad substrate scope, achieving the transformation without the need for transition metals, chiral ligands, additives, or even solvents.