Highly chemoselective synthesis of 1,2,3,4,5-pentasubstituted cyclohexanols under solvent-free condition

Acetophenone reacted with a series of aromatic aldehydes with grinding under catalysis of a double-component solid base system consisting of NaOH and K2CO3 to furnish highly chemoselectively 1,2,3,4,5-pentasubstituted cyclohexanols in 80–95% yield, and their composition and structure are identified by spectral technologies and single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, and a possible mechanism of the formation was suggested.