2,2′-(Arylmethylene)bis(3-hydroxy-5,5-dimethylcyclohex-2-enone) crystals formation via atom economy reaction and their antioxidant activity

Tetraketones with their diversified biological potencies became a highly significant class of oxygen-containing organic compounds. These are prepared by applying a simple Knoevenagel-Michael cascade procedure with 1,3-dicarbonyl compound and aldehydes. In the due course of time, numerous methods for the synthesis of these compounds, have been developed which having their own advantages and disadvantages. So, the development of an efficient, simple, and ecologically benign method for their preparation in the presence of the novel catalytic agent is still in great demand. In the present report, direct crystals of 2,2′-(arylmethylene)bis(3-hydroxy-5,5-dimethyl-2-cyclohexene-1-one) (a tetraketone) were obtained via a simple procedure using 2-aminopyrazine as a catalyst. The prepared compound shows significant antioxidant checked by different procedures like DPPH, ABTS, and TAC. Graphic abstract: