A mild, three-component one-pot synthesis of 2,4,5-trisubstituted imidazoles using Mo(IV) salen complex in homogeneous catalytic system and Mo(IV) salen complex nanoparticles onto silica as a highly active, efficient, and reusable heterogeneous nanocatalyst.

Mo(IV) salen complex (2.5 mol%) was found to be a highly efficient catalyst for the one-pot synthesis of 2,4,5-triarylimidazoles via a three-component reaction using benzil or benzoin, aryl aldehydes, and ammonium acetate as a nitrogen source under mild conditions. In order to recover and the reuse of the catalyst, a new Mo(IV) salen-silica nanoparticle as heterogeneous catalyst was prepared by simple and successful immobilization of the catalyst onto silica (3-aminopropyl functionalized silica gel). This procedure can be applied to large-scale conditions with high efficiency. Experimental evidence showed that the catalyst is stable and can be easily recovered and reused for at least five times without significant loss of activity. The nanocatalyst was characterized using FT-IR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, powder X-ray diffraction , transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric instrument for analysis of nitrogen adsorption, and inductively coupled plasma spectrometer.