Heterogeneous sequential N-arylation of N-heterocycles over copper anchored mesoporous silica catalyst

•A heterogeneous copper(II) catalyst was developed for synthesis of imidazolium based N and N′-arylated product.•The catalyst offered a simple method to synthesize some new unsymmetrical imidazolium salts which have relevance to ionic liquids.•High selectivity for products, high turnover, and possibility of easy recycle makes the catalyst highly desirable.

N-Arylation reaction of N-heterocyclic compounds has been carried out in excellent yield using copper anchored SBA-15 catalyst. Sequential N-arylation reactions employing single catalyst under heterogeneous condition provides a straightforward access to a series of important arylazolium salts. Simplicity of the method and outstanding character of the catalyst facilitate the reactions to go smoothly which encompass a broad range of functional groups. Catalyst can be recovered and reused several times without any significant loss in its catalytic activity.

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