Unveiling the Untapped Potential of Bertagnini's Salts in Microwave-Assisted Synthesis of Quinazolinones

Microwave-assisted organic synthesis (MAOS) has emerged as a transformative technique in organic chemistry, significantly enhancing the speed, efficiency, and selectivity of chemical reactions. In our research, we have employed microwave irradiation to expedite the synthesis of quinazolinones, using water as an eco-friendly solvent and thereby adhering to the principles of green chemistry. Notably, the purification of the product was achieved without the need for column chromatography, thus streamlining the process. A key innovation in our approach is using aldehyde bisulfite adducts (Bertagnini's salts) as solid surrogates of aldehydes. Bertagnini's salts offer several advantages over free aldehydes, including enhanced stability, easier purification, and improved reactivity. Green metrics and Eco-Scale score calculations confirmed the sustainability of this approach, indicating a reduction in waste generation and enhanced sustainability outcomes. This methodology facilitates the synthesis of a diverse array of compounds, offering substantial contributions to the field, with potential for widespread applications in pharmaceutical research and beyond.