Synthesis of 1,2,4,5-tetrasubstituted imidazoles using 2,6-dimethylpyridinium trinitromethanide {[2,6-DMPyH]C(NO2)3} as a novel nanostructured molten salt and green catalyst

2,6-Dimethylpyridinium trinitromethanide {[2,6-DMPyH] C(NO2)(3)}, as a novel nanostructured molten salt, efficiently catalyzed the synthesis of 1,2,4,5-tetrasubstituted imidazole derivatives by a one-pot four-component condensation reaction of benzil/benzoin, aldehydes, amine derivatives and ammonium acetate at room temperature under solvent-free conditions. Some advantages of the presented method are effective catalysis, excellent cost effectiveness and reusability of the catalyst. {[2,6-DMPyH] C(NO2)(3)} was fully characterized by IR, H-1 NMR, C-13 NMR and mass spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction patterns (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermogravimetry (TG) and derivative thermogravimetry (DTG) analyses.