As previously reported for 1-(2-pyridyl)-2-propen-1-ol,(2-pyridyl) phenyl methanol is able to react as hydrogen donor towards nitro aromatic and heteroaromatic compounds. Operating in the presence of methyl acrylate as an aza-Michael acceptor, a domino process involving reduction and conjugate addition steps allows the one pot formation of β-amino esters. The crucial role of the pyridine nucleus in making this purely thermal reactivity of carbinols ...
