A versatile method for the synthesis of benzimidazoles from o-nitroanilines and aldehydes in one step via a reductive cyclization

A highly efficient and versatile method for the synthesis of benzimidazoles was achieved in one step via the Na2S2O4 reduction of o-nitroanilines in the presence of aldehydes. Heating a solution of o-nitroaniline (1c) and an aldehyde in EtOH or another appropriate solvent, in the presence of aqueous or solid Na2S2O4, provided facile access to a series of 2-substituted N-H benzimidazoles 5a-m containing a wide range of functional groups not always compatible with the existing synthetic methods. This methodology has also been applied to the regioselective synthesis of N-alkyl and N-aryl benzimidazoles 6a-f via the cyclization of the corresponding N-substituted nitroanilines 13a-e, respectively. In addition, the method was applied successfully to the synthesis of other imidazole containing heterocyclic ring systems such as 1H-imidazo[4,5-b]pyridines 14a,b and 1H-imidazo[4,5-f]quinoline 15.