Immobilized Ni-Schiff-base metal complex on MCM-41 as a heterogeneous catalyst for the green synthesis of benzimidazole derivatives using glycerol as a solvent

A Nickel(II) Schiff-base complex was anchored on hexagonal mesoporous MCM-41 to prepare a new catalyst. The prepared catalyst has been characterized by FT-IR, UV–DRS, small angle-XRD, SEM–EDX, HR-TEM, N2 adsorption and desorption, ICP-AES, 1H and 13C-NMR. The newly synthesized Ni–MCM-41 is used as an efficient catalyst in the synthesis of benzimidazole derivatives through the oxidative condensation of an aromatic aldehyde with o-phenylenediamine under mild conditions with glycerol as high potential and alternative green solvent. It is found out that the yields of the products were good. Notably, both catalyst and solvent were recovered and reused upto four cycles without any significant loss in the yield. The catalytic efficiency of the catalyst was compared to that of some other reported catalysts and discussed.