Trifluoroacetic acid as an efficient catalyst for the room temperature synthesis of 2-aryl-1-arylmethyl-1h-1,3-benzimidazoles in aqueous media

Abstract

Trifluoroacetic acid (TFA) is introduced as a commercially available, inexpensive and effective catalyst for the selective and ecocompatible synthesis of 2-aryl-1-arylmethyl-1H-1,3-benzimidazoles via condensation reaction of o-phenylenediamine derivatives and aromatic aldehydes in ethanol/water at room temperature.