Abstract Here we report on our studies of the use of combinations of amino acids, amines, K 2 CO 3 or Cs 2 CO 3 and CuSO 4/Cu for catalysing green cascade reactions. We aimed to prepare the highly reactive and substituted olefin species 7 and 8, under very mild and environmentally friendly conditions, thus giving the hydrogenated products 10 and 12 through the action of Hantzsch ester (4) by self-catalysis through decreasing the HOMO– ...