An Efficient and Environmental Benign Synthesis of 2-benzimidazoles and 2-benzothiazoles Using CeCl 3 -NaI as Catalyst

Abstract

A one-pot condensation of an aldehyde with 1,2-phenylenediamine or 2-aminothiophenol in dimethyl carbonate at 100 °C under O₂ in the presence of catalytic amounts of CeCl₃–NaI gave an imine intermediate, which cyclised and dehydrogenated to give 2-arylbenzimidazoles or 2-arylbenzothiazoles in good yields.