Novel 2-amino bis(2-phosphonoacetic) acids were prepared by microwave irradiation of a mixture of amine, glyoxylic acid and phosphorous acid. The reaction takes place with various amines including primary and secondary amines and polyamines, but this reaction is more sensitive to steric hindrance of amine than the similar Kabachnik–Fields reaction. Amino acids can be also transformed into the expected bis(2-phosphonoacetic) acids, with the exception of tryptophan, which gives a β-carboline product.

Phosphonated polyethylenimine grafted on iron oxide nanoparticles was used as a magnetic support for loading palladium. This cheap and accessible heterogeneous catalyst demonstrated good efficiency in Suzuki-Miyaura, Mizoroki-Heck, and Tsuji-Trost couplings. The nanocomposite is resistant to harsh conditions and can therefore be recycled up to 10 cycles with high catalyst efficiency.

In the present work, the synthesis and biological activities of substituted 2-aminopyridine δ-lactone derivatives were achieved. 4,6,6-trimethyl-2-oxo-5,6-dihydro-2H-pyran-3-carbonitrile was synthesised from 4-hydroxy-4-methylpentan-2-one, followed by its transformation in enaminonitrile with DMFDMA. The antioxidant effects of substituted 2-aminopyridine δ-lactone derivatives were evaluated through DPPH assay and revealed a great antioxidant capacity. The antifungal and antibacterial activities were investigated by disc diffusion method against clinical Gram-negative bacteria and against clinical fungi. The study shows moderate to very good antibacterial and antifungal activities for the new substituted 2-aminopyridine δ-lactone derivatives.

Ricinine is an alkaloid of Ricinus communis that displays numerous biological properties. Ricinine (4-methoxy-1-methyl-2-oxo-dihydropyridine-3-carbonitrile)) and new N-analogues of Ricinine were obtained by the reaction of ethyl α-ethoxyethylidenecyanoacetate with various amines. Earlier, ethyl α-ethoxyethylidenecyanoacetate was easily prepared from ethyl cyanoacetate. Biologically, amines such as tryptamine and histamine were used in order to introduce a second pharmacophore on the target molecule.

Aurones are natural bioactive dyes found in plants, and many of them are biologically active. We reported herein that α,β-dicarbonyl compounds condense with 3-coumarones without a solvent under microwave irradiation with clay as a catalyst. Novel acylaurones were obtained in good yields; the more stable E-isomer was formed stereoselectively.

Cross-conjugated dienones are very important biologically active products. The condensation of N-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]-bicyclo[3.2.1]octan-3-one (tropinone) with aromatic aldehydes takes place in the presence of acidic (K10 clay, silica) or basic catalysts (alumina, KF-alumina). The best yields of (2E,4E)-2,4-bis-arylmethylene-8-methyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octan-3-ones were obtained with the K10 clay under microwave irradiation without solvent. New dienones derived from tropinone will be tested in various biological assays.