Synthesis of Imidazoles from Fatty 1,2‐Diketones

Unsaturated vegetable oils and their corresponding fatty acid derivatives constitute interesting renewable platforms for the preparation of heterocycles, notably through formation oxygenated intermediates. In this work, imidazoles were prepared from 1,2-diketones Debus-Radziszewski reaction. The reaction was optimized under microwave irradiation using a 1,2-diketone derived methyl oleate ammonium acetate as nitrogen source. Using benzaldehyde model substrate, occurs at 180 °C 5 min desired imidazole formed in 96 % GC yield. A range aldehydes tested conditions obtained 33–99 isolated yields (20 examples).