Highly efficient and metal-free synthesis of tri- and tetrasubstituted imidazole catalyzed by 3-picolinic acid

Abstract

3-Picolinic acid is an efficient organo-catalyst for a one-pot three-component synthesis of 2,4,5-triaryl substituted imidazole. Moreover, the utility of this catalyst has been extended to the four-component synthesis of 1,2,4,5-tetra-substituted imidazole. The pivotal advantages of this process are easy purification, cost-effectiveness, and high yielding, above all environmentally benign protocol.