Borophosphate glasses: Synthesis, characterization and application as catalyst for bis(indolyl)methanes synthesis under greener conditions

Glasses are a class of materials that have a multitude of uses and applications. In catalysis, they are frequently used as support materials. However, in this paper, we demonstrate that glass can be applied as an active material in catalysis. The glass was successfully applied as catalysts in bioactive bis(indolyl)methanes (BIMs) molecules with the capability to extend the reaction substrate to other N-heterocycle. Furthermore, we describe the synthesis and characterization of cheap and readily available borophosphate glass samples produced using a classical melt-quenching technique and their application as a catalyst. The main features of this glass-catalyzed reaction are high yields, recyclable catalyst, ease of scale-up to gram scale, and a solvent-free and metal-free approach.