Copper nitrate as a powerful and eco-friendly natural catalyst for mediator-free aerobic oxidation of 2,3-dihydroquinazolinones and 1,4-dihydropyridines under mild conditions

For the first time, copper (II) nitrate trihydrate was used as an efficient, eco-friendly, operational ease, inexpensive, and commercially available catalyst for the biomimetic aerobic oxidation synthesis of quinazolinones and Hantzsch pyridines from their corresponding 2,3-dihydroquinazolinones and 1,4-dihydropyridines, respectively. The products were achieved in satisfactory to excellent yields using acetonitrile as the solvent. These methods are considered to be more eco-friendly, efficient, uncomplicated, and useful compared to existing ones as they align with various principles of green chemistry. Hence, these techniques can be utilized in pharmaceuticals and other delicate synthesis processes.