CO2 absorbing cost-effective ionic liquid for synthesis of commercially important alpha cyanoacrylic acids: A safe process for activation of cyanoacetic acid

Cost-effective and carbon dioxide absorbing ionic liquid, tri-(2-hydroxyethyl) ammonium acetate, was shown to perform multiple roles in Knoevenagel condensation. It acted as an environmentally benign solvent, as an activating catalyst for the less reactive cyanoacetic acid and also as a risk reduction medium for the unevenly generated large amount of CO2 gas for large scale reactions. The reaction was scaled up for multi-gram synthesis of commercially important alpha cyanoacrylic acids.