A green and convenient synthetic method has been described for the synthesis of 2-hydroxy-3-((5-methyl-3-oxo-2-phenyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-pyrazol-4-yl)(phenyl)methyl)naphthalene-1,4-dione derivatives by a one-pot, four-component reaction of aromatic aldehydes, 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone, hydrazine derivatives, and ethyl acetoacetate catalyzed by MgCl2 in ethylene glycol. Simplicity, short reaction time, high yield, and an eco-friendly catalyst are the main advantages of this method.

An efficient one-pot synthesis of 5H-spiro[benzo[7,8]chromeno[2,3-c]pyrazole-7,3′-indoline]-2′,5,6(9H)-trione derivatives via a four-component reaction of hydrazine hydrate, β-keto esters, isatins, and 2-hydroxynaphthalene-1,4-dione catalyzed by MgCl2 in ethanol is reported. This reaction provides the advantages of excellent yields, environmental friendliness solvent, simple workup procedure, and short reaction time.

Four chiral Schiff bases were synthesized conveniently from chiral amino alcohol and 2-hydroxynaphthalene-1-carbaldehyde. These ligands were used to catalyze the addition of nitroalkanes to aldehydes under ambient conditions in good yields with up to 91% ee.

A simple and efficient protocol has been developed for the synthesis of various symmetrical biaryls in good to excellent yields from the homocoupling reactions of arenediazonium salts with ferrous salt in carbon tetrachloride solution under mild reaction conditions. Moreover, the novel homocoupling has been demonstrated to proceed via an electron transfer reaction mechanism.Efficient homocoupling of arenediazonium salts to afford symmetrical biaryls. Proceeded with ferrous salt under mild conditions. Proceeded via an electron transfer reaction mechanism.

A series of C2-symmetric and asymmetric chiral thiourea derivatives were synthesized from commercial l-phenylalanine. All of the new compounds have been fully characterized by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, MS spectra and elemental analyses. The chiral thioureas were used as chiral ligands in the catalytic enantioselective ethylation of aldehydes with diethylzinc, the corresponding sec-alcohols were gained with excellent enantioselectivities (up to 87.1% ee) and high yields (up to 76.7%) after the conditions were optimized.