Multi-component reaction to access a library of polyfunctionally substituted 4,7-dihydropyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridines

A practical approach to polyfunctionally substituted 4,7-dihydropyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine derivatives from heteroaryl hydrazine, 3-aryl-3-oxopropanenitriles and aldehydes have been described in the report. The present catalyst-free protocol involves the intermediacy of 5-aminopyrazole and alpha-cyanochalcone, which undergoes in situ Michael addition to afford title compounds in moderate to good yields. All the steps were conducted concomitantly to render the procedure as practical and straightforward as possible. The expeditious synthetic protocol experiment takes less than one hour and shows broad substrate scope.