One pot synthesis of 1,2,4,5-tetrasubstituted-imidazoles catalyzed by trityl chloride in neutral media

Abstract

Trityl chloride (TrCl or Ph₃CCl) efficiently catalyzes the one-pot multi-component condensation of benzil with aldehydes, primary amines and ammonium acetate under neutral and solvent-free conditions to give 1,2,4,5-tetrasubstituted imidazoles in high to excellent yields and in short reaction times. Mechanistically, it is attractive that trityl chloride promotes the reaction by in situ generation of trityl carbocation (Ph₃C⁺).