Researchers at the ITQ optimize the production of benzimidazoles, organic compounds widely used in the pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries

A research group at the ITQ, has developed a process to obtain benzimidazoles, organic compounds widely used in the fine chemicals industry, in a more sustainable way. This is the first time that these compounds are obtained from dinitroarenes by a catalytic route in the presence of molecular hydrogen, which is a more sustainable synthetic strategy from the environmental point of view. In this way, more than 40 compounds have been obtained, including two with biological activity that are widely used in the pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries.