The Strecker reaction is a multicomponent reaction discovered in 1850 that produces useful α-aminonitrile derivatives by reacting a carbonyl compound, amine, and cyanide. These derivatives can be further transformed into α-amino acids. The reaction involves condensation of the amine with the carbonyl compound to form an imine, followed by addition of cyanide to the imine carbon and subsequent hydrolysis to form amino acids. Recent studies have developed efficient catalyst-free and heterogeneous catalytic systems for synthesizing α-aminonitriles through one-pot Strecker reactions under mild conditions.

1. Strecker Reaction
 The Strecker synthesis, occurring between a carbonyl compound, an amine, and a
cyanide, is one of the oldest and most important multicomponent reactions because it
produces the useful intermediates, α-aminonitrile derivatives, that can be further
transformed to generate α-amino acids.
 Discovered in 1850 by Adolph Strecker.
Torok, B., Schaefer, C., & Kokel, A. (2021). Heterogeneous Catalysis in Sustainable Synthesis. Elsevier.
Bada, J. (2014). Strecker Synthesis. In: , et al. Encyclopedia of Astrobiology. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg.
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-27833-4_1527-2

2. Mechanism:
 Condensation of amine/ammonia with the aldehyde/ketone.
 Formation of an imine.
 Addition of the cyanide to the imine carbon.
 Further hydrolysis leads to the corresponding aminoacids.

3. Mechanism:

4. Biologically active α-amino nitrile containing natural products and synthetic drugs
Kouznetsov, V. V., & Galvis, C. E. P. (2018). Strecker reaction and α-amino nitriles: Recent advances in their chemistry, synthesis, and biological
properties. Tetrahedron, 74(8), 773-810.

5. Strecker reaction and α-amino nitriles: Recent advances in their chemistry,
synthesis, and biological properties
 Maleki and co-workers prepared sulfonated magnetic cellulose-based
nanocomposite, Fe3O4@cellulose-OSO3H (MCSA), and it used in the
synthesis of α-amino nitriles through an one-pot three-component
reaction of benzaldehydes (hetearyl aldehydes) or ketones (acetophenone
and cyclohexanone), aryl amines and TMSCN in EtOH at room
temperature.
Kouznetsov, V. V., & Galvis, C. E. P. (2018). Strecker reaction and α-amino nitriles: Recent advances in
their chemistry, synthesis, and biological properties. Tetrahedron, 74(8), 773-810.

6. MCSA-catalyzed S-3CR using TMSCN in EtOH for green preparation of α-
amino nitrile

7. An efficient and catalyst-free synthesis of N-arylidene-2-arylimidazo[1,2-
a]pyridine-3- ylamine derivatives via Strecker reaction under controlled microwave
heating
 Imidazo[1,2-a]pyridine derivatives are highly potent heterocyclic scaffolds because of
their biological activity and are found in numerous drugs.
(77-88%)
Hameed, A. M. A., Moustafa, M. S., Al-Mousawi, S. M., Awed, R. R., & Sadek, K. U. (2017). An efficient and catalyst-free synthesis of
N-arylidene-2-arylimidazo [1, 2-a] pyridine-3-ylamine derivatives via Strecker reaction under controlled microwave heating. Green
Processing and Synthesis, 6(4), 371-375.

8. An efficient and catalyst-free synthesis of N-arylidene-2-
arylimidazo[1,2-a]pyridine-3- ylamine derivatives via Strecker
reaction under controlled microwave heating
 Mechanism

9. One-pot three-component synthesis of a-amino nitriles using ZnO as a
heterogeneous, reusable, and eco-friendly catalyst

10. One-pot three-component synthesis of a-amino nitriles using ZnO as a heterogeneous,
reusable, and eco-friendly catalyst
Kaur, B., Chand, S., Malik, A. K., Dhaliwal, K. S., Younis, S. A., & Kim, K. H. (2019). One-pot three-component synthesis of α-amino nitriles using ZnO as
a heterogeneous, reusable, and eco-friendly catalyst. Journal of Cleaner Production, 234, 329-339.

11. THANK YOU