A one-pot synthesis of 1,2,4,5-tetraarylimidazoles using molecular iodine as an efficient catalyst

Molecular iodine is a cheap, nontoxic catalyst, which acts as an efficient catalyst for the synthesis of 1,2,4,5-tetraarylimidazoles using benzoin, an aromatic aldehyde and an amine in the presence of ammonium acetate. The advantage of this method is the direct use of benzoin, which is transformed into benzil in situ and condenses further to generate the imidazole in a one-pot sequence.