Microwave Microwave-Assisted Triphenylphosphine (TPP) -Catalyzed Mild and Facile Synthesis of Substituted-Cyanoacrylamides and their Antibacterial Evaluation.

Abstract

Substituted cyanoacrylamides are important intermediates in the pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries. In this study, we report a triphenylphosphine (TPP)-catalyzed, microwave-assisted Knoevenagel condensation for the efficient synthesis of a series of substituted cyanoacrylamide derivatives from aromatic and heterocyclic aldehydes and cyanoacetamide under solvent-free conditions. The reactions were completed within 1–4 minutes at 300–600 W microwave power, affording the desired products in 75–90% isolated yields. The method eliminates the need for hazardous solvents and tolerates a wide range of functional groups, including fluoro, methyl, methoxy, nitro, cyano, and heterocyclic substituents. Compared with conventional heating, the microwave-assisted protocol offers significant advantages, including shorter reaction times, milder reaction conditions, and higher product yields. The structures of the synthesized compounds were confirmed by FTIR and ¹H NMR spectroscopy. Antibacterial evaluation of selected compounds using the agar well diffusion method revealed activity against both Gram-positive (Staphylococcus sp.) and Gram-negative bacteria (Serratia sp., Proteus sp., and Klebsiella sp.).

J. Bangladesh Acad. Sci. 50(3); 383–390: September 2026