Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-l-proline)-catalyzed Claisen–Schmidt and Knoevenagel condensations: unexpected enhanced catalytic activity of the polymer catalyst

Abstract

The polymer catalyst is more effective than the corresponding monomer catalyst? Yes! The proline-modified polymer, poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-L-proline), was unexpectedly found to be more effective than the corresponding monomer L-proline catalyst in Claisen–Schmidt and Knoevenagel condensation reactions. ¹H NMR, GC analysis and control reactions revealed that this abnormal phenomenon might be attributed to an enhanced concentration of the reactant on the surface of the polymer catalyst, which might be due to adsorption of the reactants to the polymer through hydrogen-bonding of the proline moiety with the reactants. This new polymer catalyst was so robust that it could be reused at least 10 times without deactivation. The polymer-catalyzed method was rather tolerant of substrates bearing sensitive groups that are usually incompatible with conventional acid- or base-catalyzed methods, reducing the protection–deprotection steps of the substrates.