Oxalic Acid-Catalyzed Solvent-Free One-Pot Multicomponent Synthesis of 1,3-Thiazolidin-4-ones

An efficient and environmentally benign protocol for the synthesis of 1,3-thiazolidin-4-ones has been developed employing oxalic acid as a catalyst under solvent-free conditions.The transformation proceeds via a one-pot, multicomponent condensation of an aromatic aldehyde, an aromatic or heteroaromatic amine, and thioglycolic acid at ambient temperature under grinding for 2-3 h, affording the desired 1,3-thiazolidin-4-ones in moderate to good yields.Compared to conventional methodologies, this approach represents a greener alternative, characterized by operational simplicity, reduced environmental footprint, energy efficiency, economic viability, mild reaction conditions, shortened reaction times, and a concise synthetic route.