Tin(ii) chloride dihydrate/choline chloride deep eutectic solvent: redox properties in the fast synthesis of N-arylacetamides and indolo(pyrrolo)[1,2-a]quinoxalines

In this contribution a physicochemical, IR and Raman characterization for the tin(ii) chloride dihydrate/choline chloride eutectic mixture is reported. The redox properties of this solvent were also studied by cyclic voltammetry finding that it can be successfully used as an electrochemical solvent for electrosynthesis and electroanalytical processes and does not require negative potentials as verified by the reduction of nitrobenzene. The potential use of this eutectic mixture as a redox solvent was further explored in obtaining aromatic amines and N-arylacetamides starting from a wide variety of nitroaromatic compounds. In addition, a fast synthetic strategy for the construction of a series of indolo(pyrrolo)[1,2-a]quinoxalines was developed by reacting 1-(2-nitrophenyl)-1H-indole(pyrrole) with aldehydes. This simple protocol offers a straightforward method for the construction of the target quinoxalines in short reaction times and high yields where the key step involves a tandem one-pot reductive cyclization-oxidation.