One-pot synthesis

In chemistry a one-pot synthesis is a strategy to improve the efficiency of a chemical reaction whereby a reactant is subjected to successive chemical reactions in just one reactor. This is much desired by chemists because avoiding a lengthy separation process and purification of the intermediate chemical compounds would save time and resources while increasing chemical yield.

An example of a one-pot synthesis is the total synthesis of tropinone or the Gassman indole synthesis.

A sequential one-pot synthesis with reagents added to a reactor one at a time and without work-up is also called a telescoping synthesis.

In one such procedure the reaction of 3-N-tosylaminophenol I with acrolein II affords a hydroxyl substituted quinoline III through 4 sequential steps without workup of the intermediate products :