Solvent-Free Organic Transformations Using Supported Reagents and Microwave Irradiation^†

In the presence of mineral oxides such as alumina, K 10 montmorillonite clay or modified ‘doped’ materials, a variety of organic reactions are accelerated by microwave irradiation under solvent-free conditions. Several examples of such facile organic manipulations using this simple approach that combines the virtues of catalysis by a large surface area ofthe mineral oxides or supported reagents and microwave activation are described. The protocol entails exposure of the neat reactants in open containers to microwave irradiation at 2450 MHz frequency. The salient features of this strategy such as solvent conservation and the ease of manipulation etc. are summarized for these synthetically useful protocols.