New eco-friendly animal bone meal catalysts for preparation of chalcones and aza-Michael adducts

Yassine Riadi, Younes Abrouki, Rachid Mamouni, Mohammadine El Haddad, Sylvain Routier, Gérald Guillaumet, Saïd Lazar

Two efficient reactions were successfully carried out using Animal Bone Meal (ABM) and potassium fluoride or sodium nitrate doped ABMs as new heterogeneous catalysts under very mild conditions. After preparation and characterization of the catalysts, we first report their use in a simple and convenient synthesis of various chalcones by Claisen-Schmidt condensation and then in an aza-Michael addition involving several synthesized chalcones with aromatic amines. All the reactions were carried out at room temperature in methanol; the chalcone synthesis was also achieved in water environment under microwave irradiation. Doping ABM enhances the rate and yield at each reaction. Catalytic activities are discussed and the ability to re-use the ABM is demonstrated.