Formic acid as a sustainable and complementary reductant: an approach to fused benzimidazoles by molecular iodine-catalyzed reductive redox cyclization of o-nitro-t-anilines

Molecular iodine was found to be an excellent catalyst for reductive redox cyclization of o-nitro-t-anilines 1 into fused tricyclic or 1,2-disubtituted benzimidazoles 2. A range of functional groups such as halides (F, Cl, Br), methoxy, ester, trifluoromethyl, cyano, pyridine and even nitro groups were tolerated using formic acid as a clean, safe, user-friendly and complementary reductant. When iodine was used in a stoichiometric amount (50 mol%), the methodology allowed the direct synthesis of benzimidazole hydroiodides 2.HI in high yields by simple precipitation from the reaction mixture.