AN ECO-FRIENDLY GREEN ROUTE FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF AMIDE FROM CARBOXYLIC ACIDS EMPLOYING MONTMORILLONITE AS A CATALYST.

A green protocol for the conversion of organic acids to the corresponding amide is described in this article. The acids are transformed into the amides quantitatively using primary amines and montmorillonite ( K-10 ) as a clay catalyst . Mixtures of equimolar amounts of acid and primary amine are refluxed in Toluene in presence of small quantity of a catalyst. The reaction completes in 8-9 hours and the catalyst is removed by mere filtration of reaction mixture through whatman filter paper. The removal of solvent furnished crude product , which can be purified if required. The present method is not creating any pollutant during the course of the reaction , hence it follows green route of organic synthesis.