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Updated: Jun 13, 2026

A Microwave-Assisted Direct Heteroarylation of Ketones Using Transition Metal Catalysis
Published on: February 16, 2020
One-step microwave-assisted asymmetric cyclisation/hydrogenation of citronellal to menthols using supported
Alina Mariana Balu1, Juan Manuel Campelo, Rafael Luque
1Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidad de Córdoba, Edificio Marie Curie, Ctra Nnal IV, Km 396, E-14014, Córdoba, Spain.
Abstract:
The selective conversion of citronellal to menthols, with good diastereoselectivities to (-)-menthol for the case of (+)-citronellal as starting material, can effectively be carried out in a one-step reaction under microwave irradiation catalysed by supported nanoparticles on mesoporous materials. 2% Pt/Ga-MCM-41 was found to be the optimum catalyst for the reaction, with a quantitative conversion of starting material and selectivities above 85% to menthols obtained in short reaction times (typically 15 min). These results constitute the first report of a simple microwave-assisted one-step cyclisation/hydrogenation process for the production of menthols.
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