Alternate Method for the Synthesis of N‐Alkyl/aralkyl‐2‐(α‐hydroxy Alkyl/aralkyl)benzimidazoles via Regiospecific Acetylation

Abstract

Abstract Acetylation of 1H‐2‐(α‐hydroxyalkyl/aryl)benzimidazoles 2 with Ac2O results in the regiospecific formation of O‐acetoxy derivative 3, which on alkylation with alkylating agents in nonaqueous media under phase‐transfer catalytic conditions affords N‐alkyl derivatives 4. The latter, on hydrolysis in an aqueous basic medium, results in the title compounds 5 in good yields in high purity. Alternatively, 5 can also be obtained by reduction of 1‐substituted‐2‐acetyl/benzoylbenzimidazoles 8 using NaBH4.