The First Solvent-Free, Microwave-Accelerated, Three-Component Synthesis of Thiazolidin-4-ones via One-Pot Tandem Staudinger/aza-Wittig Reaction

An efficient and rapid, solvent-free, microwave-accelerated, one-pot, three-component protocol for thiazolidin-4-ones synthesis from organic azides has been reported for the first time via Staudinger/aza-Wittig reaction. The microwave-accelerated, solvent-free approach overcomes the limitations associated with the prevailing solution phase methodologies. In particular, its novelty is that it eradicates the vital limitation, that is, accumulation of water (byproduct) that is known to affect the yield and rate of the reaction. Thus, a library of thiazolidin-4-ones has been synthesized in short time in excellent yields (92-96%).