A sustainable approach for synthesis of 2,4,5-triaryl-1H-imidazoles using Fe3O4@SiO2-ABMA-MnCl2 nanocomposite

Abstract

Magnetic catalysts are known for their exceptional reusability and recyclability, which not only makes the process more cost-effective but also aligns with green chemistry principles. The use of magnetic catalysts in the synthesis of 2,4,5-triaryl imidazoles presents a sustainable, efficient, and versatile approach that aligns with the evolving demands of modern chemical synthesis. In this paper, we fabricated Fe₃O₄@SiO₂-ABMA-MnCl₂ nanocomposite as a novel and recoverable nanocatalyst for the synthesis of 2,4,5-triaryl imidazoles through the three-component reaction of various derivatives of aromatic and heteroaromatic aldehydes with benzil derivatives and ammonium acetate in ethylene glycol. Under this catalytic system, a broad spectrum of triaryl imidazole derivatives was afforded with high to excellent yields in less than 1 h. Several spectroscopic techniques well identified the structure of Fe₃O₄@SiO₂-ABMA-MnCl₂ nanocomposite. Conducting reactions in ethylene glycol as a solvent, synthesis of products with excellent efficiency in less than one hour, very good identification of the catalyst structure, simple separation of the catalyst from the reaction mixture, and its high reusability are some of the valuable features of this catalytic system. VSM, TGA, ICP-OES analyzes showed that the Fe₃O₄@SiO₂-ABMA-MnCl₂ catalyst has high stability and has maintained its magnetic nature and structure after recovery (despite 8 consecutive uses).

Graphical abstract