Co(II) anchored glutaraldehyde crosslinked magnetic chitosan nanoparticles (MCS) for synthesis of 2,4,5-trisubstituted and 1,2,4,5-tetrasubstituted imidazoles

A simple, highly efficient and green synthesis of 2,4,5-trisubsituted and 1,2,4,5-tetrasubstituted imidazoles was developed using a novel MCS-GT@Co(II) magnetically recoverable and recyclable catalyst under refluxing conditions with ethanol as a solvent. The catalyst was prepared by immobilization of chitosan onto Fe3O4 using glutaraldehyde as crosslinker followed by Co(II) ion immobilization via cobalt acetate. The catalyst was characterized using various techniques. For organic products determination, 1H NMR, 13C NMR and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopies were used. The reaction was also tried with individual components of the catalyst, but the synergistic effect of the components in the prepared catalyst showed the highest yield and shortest reaction time.