Copper(II) tetrafluoroborate as mild and versatile catalyst for the rapid synthesis of b -acetamido ketones and ketoesters via a three component reaction

A variety of β-acetamido ketones and ketoesters are readily prepared in high yields under extremely mild conditions via a three component coupling of aromatic aldehydes, enolizable ketones or β-ketoesters and nitriles in the presence of 10 mol% of copper(II) tetrafluoroborate and a stoichiometric amount of acetyl chloride. A solution of 10 mol% of Cu(BF 4) 2 in acetonitrile provides a convenient reaction medium to carry out a three component reaction under mild conditions