Molecular oxygen-promoted sustainable synthesis of functionalized quinolines using catalytic glucose-derived ionic liquids and copper.

An expedient one-pot sustainable synthesis of quinoline analogues was developed via protection-free chemo-selective oxidation of 2-aminobenzyl alcohols to form aldehydes, followed by annulation with various 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds or nitriles under mild reaction conditions in an acetonitrile-water medium using a copper catalyst and new hydrogen bond-rich glucose-based ionic liquids (GSILs). Overall, 40 functionalized quinolines were synthesized with up to 93% yields following significant green chemistry parameters. The developed GSILs were recyclable with not much decrease in the yields of the products and the reaction rate.