A Convenient Heterogeneous Reduction of Knoevenagel Product by Hantzsch Ester and Its Development into Reductive Alkylation of Malononitrile

Abstract Poor solubility of Hantzsch ester is used as indicator in the reduction of methylidene malononitrile. The Knoevenagel reaction is integrated to develop a reductive alkylation of malononitrile with aryl and aliphatic aldehyde as the carbonyl substrate.