AbstractThe reaction of benzil, an aromatic aldehyde, and ammonium acetate in ethanol at reflux in the presence of tributylhexadecylphosphonium bromide as catalyst affords a 2,4,5-trisubstituted imidazole. The present methodology offers several advantages over the literature methods, including excellent yields, shorter reaction times, environmentally benign milder reaction conditions, cost-effectiveness of catalyst, easy workup, and purification of products by nonchromatographic methods.
Ammonium Acetate: An Efficient Reagent for the One-pot Synthesis of 5-Aryl-7,8,13,14-tetrahydrodibenzo[a,i] phenanthridines, 2,4-Diaryl-6,7-benzo-3-azabicyclo[3.3.1]nonan-9-ones and α,α'-Bis(substituted benzylidene)cycloalkanones