A crystalline Sm(III)‐containing antimonotungstate with efficient catalytic activity in three‐component reaction for isoindolinones synthesis

Abstract The development of the three‐component catalytic system for constructing isoindolinones from simple feedstocks is both significant and challenging. In this study, a unique tartrate‐linked dimeric samarium‐antimonotungstate [Sm 2 (H 2 O) 6 (tar)(Sb 2 W 21 O 72 )] 2 20− ( Sm 4 tar 2 , H 4 tar = tartaric acid) was synthesized via a one‐step method at room temperature using an acetate buffer solution. The dimeric polyanion of Sm 4 tar 2 shows a centrosymmetric structure with a parallelogram‐like arrangement and comprises two enantiomeric {Sm 2 (H 2 O) 6 (Sb 2 W 21 O 72 )} moieties connected by two enantiomeric tar ligands. Sm 4 tar 2 demonstrates efficient catalytic activity in the three‐component reaction involving 2‐acylbenzoic acids, primary amines, and phosphine oxides to form 3,3‐disubstituted isoindolinones. The advantages of this catalytic system include simple feedstocks, green and reusable catalyst, and operational simplicity with water as the sole by‐product. This finding enables an effective molecular fragment assembly strategy for synthesizing isoindolinone drug precursor skeletons.