Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: The development of environmentally benign and sustainable synthetic protocols for pharmaceutically relevant heterocycles is a pressing need in modern organic chemistry. Imidazole derivatives are an important class of compounds exhibiting diverse biological activities, yet their synthesis often involves hazardous reagents, harsh conditions, and organic solvents. Herein, we report a green, efficient, and catalyst-free aqueous phase synthesis of substituted imidazoles via a one-pot multicomponent reaction of ?-diketones, aldehydes, and ammonium acetate. The reaction proceeds in water under mild conditions, affording imidazole derivatives in good to excellent yields. The protocol features several green metrics: water as a solvent, an environmentally benign catalyst, no hazardous by-products, and simple workup. The reaction scope is broad, tolerating various functional groups, and the products are obtained with high purity. Mechanistic insights suggest an in situ generated ?-amino ketone intermediate drives the cyclocondensation. This green approach aligns with principles of green chemistry, offering a sustainable alternative to conventional imidazole synthesis, attractive for academic research and potential scale-up.
Institution: Haldia Government College
Language: English
Subfield: Organic Chemistry
Field: Chemistry
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7208820795