Efficient Synthesis of 5-Substituted 2,3-Diphenyl and 5-Substituted 1-Aryl-2,3-diphenyl Imidazoles Using Polyethylene Glycol

Abstract

Treatment of benzoin with an aldehyde and NH₄OAc in polyethylene glycol (PEG-400) under reflux afforded a 5-substituted 2,3-diphenyl imidazole while the same reaction along with an additional aniline produced 5-substituted 1-aryl 2,3-diphenyl imidazole. No any catalyst or solvent was required to carry out this conversion, and the imidazoles were formed in excellent yields.

Keywords:

• Aldehyde
• ammonium acetate
• benzoin
• imidazole
• PEG-400

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The authors thank the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research and the University Grants Commission, New Delhi, for financial assistance.

Notes

^a The structures of the products were settled from their spectral (IR, ¹H NMR, and MS) and analytical data.

^a The structures of the products were settled from their spectral (IR, ¹H NMR, and MS) and analytical data.

Part 185 in the series “Studies on Novel Synthetic Methodologies.”