Trihexyltetradecylphosphonium bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl)phosphinate Ionic Liquid: An Efficient Catalyst for the Synthesis of 2,4,5-triaryl-1Himidazole Derivatives

Herein, we disclose an eco-friendly route for the synthesis of 2,4,5-triaryl-1H-imidazole derivatives. One-pot, three-component synthesis involving benzil, substituted aromatic aldehydes, and ammonium acetate in the presence of a catalytic amount of trihexyltetradecyl-phosphonium bis(2,4,4-trimethylpentyl)phosphinate (PBIL) ionic liquid in ethanol at room temperature yields corresponding 2,4,5-triaryl-1H-imidazole derivatives in appreciable yield. The use of ionic liquid as a green catalyst with ethanol, which is considered to be an environmentally benign solvent, simple workup procedure, and appreciable yield of the product are some of the notable advantages of this method.