New Materials, Compounds and Applications

1,4-Dihydropyridine (1,4-DHP) compounds are nitrogen-containing heterocyclic molecules with a six-membered ring structure that imparts unique chemical and biochemical properties. These compounds hold substantial importance in medicinal and pharmaceutical chemistry due to their crucial role in the development of biologically active agents. In this study, a series of 1,4-DHP compounds were synthesized via the classical Hantzsch one-pot, three-component condensation reaction. The reaction involved one mole of para-substituted benzaldehydes, one mole of trans-4-(aminomethyl) cyclohexane carboxylic acid and two moles of 5,5-dimethyl-1,3-cyclohexanedione (dimedone), using molecular iodine (I₂) as a catalyst. The reactions were conducted in ethanol under reflux conditions at 70°C for 24 hours (note: microwave-assisted trials reduced time to 15 minutes with improved yields to 35-40%). The resulting products were obtained in good yields (17-30%) and were subsequently; Atom economy calculated at ~79%, E-factor ~4.2 compared to greener methods purified and characterized through several spectroscopic techniques, including Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR) and carbon-13 nuclear magnetic resonance (¹³C-NMR).