Sodium Ascorbate as Green and Efficient Catalyst for Knoevenagel Condensation of Aryl Aldehydes with Meldrum’s Acid in Aqueous Media

Sodium ascorbate (SA), acts as an efficient catalyst in the Knoevenagel condensation reactionof aryl aldehydes with Meldrum s acid in water as an environmental friendly solvent. In thisreaction, 5-arylidene-2,2-dimethyl-1,3-dioxane-4,6-dione derivatives were obtained with highyields at shorter reaction periods at room temperature. The advantages of this method aresimplicity, green, safe, convenient work-up, inexpensive and readily available catalyst.