Efficient Multi‐component Synthesis of Highly Substituted Imidazoles Utilizing P2O5/SiO2 as a Reusable Catalyst

Abstract Phosphorus pentoxide supported on silica gel (P2O5/SiO2) has been used as an efficient and reusable catalyst for the one‐pot pseudo four‐component synthesis of 2,4,5‐trisubstituted imidazoles from benzil or benzoin, aldehydes, and ammonium acetate. It was also used for four‐component preparation of 1,2,4,5‐tetrasubstituted imidazoles from benzil or benzoin, aldehydes, primary amine, and ammonium acetate under thermal solvent‐free conditions. The remarkable features of this new procedure are high conversions, cleaner reaction, simple experimental and work‐up procedures and also the catalyst can be easily separated from the reaction mixture and reused several times without any loss of its activity.