P-Dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid (DBSA), a Brønsted acid-Surfactant Catalyst for Synthesis of α, ά-bis(substituted benzylidene)cycloalkanones with Electron-Withdrawing Substituent in Aqueous Media

An array of aromatic aldehydes with electron withdrawing groupunderwent crossed-aldol condensation with cycloalkanone in the presence of catalytic amounts of dbsa under aqueous media to afford the corresponding α, ά-bis(substituted-benzylidene) cycloalkanones in good yields. the electronic effects on aromatic aldehydes could be observed. the present method is operationally simple and use of water as the reaction medium makes the process environmentally benign.