Natural Bio-surfactant for Pseudomulticomponent Synthesis of 2-Aryl-1- aryl Methyl-1H-benzimidazoles

Green chemistry emphasizes the development of environmentally benign chemical processes and technologies. Pseudo-multicomponent synthesis of 2-aryl-1-arylmethyl-1H-benzimidazoles using o-phenylenediamine and aromatic aldehydes is carried out by Bronsted acid type bio-surfactant as a catalyst. The green features of this method include the use of biodegradable catalyst obtained from renewable resource i.e. Citrus Limonium extract as bio-surfactant type Bronsted acid, which provides a micellar media for effective cyclocondensation. The critical micellar concentration (cmc) of biosurfactant was determined by conductivity method and visualized by light microscopy measurement. Identity of all pure compounds was ascertained on the basis of FT-IR, 1H NMR and 13C NMR spectroscopic techniques.