2-Aryl-1-arylmethyl-1H-benzimidazoles were prepared in excellent yields by the condensation of o-phenylenediamine with aldehydes under mechanically activated solvent-free conditions in ball mill using FeCl₃·6H₂O as the catalyst.

The ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of trimethylene carbonate (TMC) using imidodiphosphoric acid (IDPA) as the organocatalyst and benzyl alcohol (BnOH) as the initiator has been investigated. The polymerization proceeded without decarboxylation to afford poly(trimethylene carbonate) (PTMiC) with controlled molecular weight and narrow polydispersity. ¹H NMR, SEC, and MALDI-TOF MS measurements of the obtained PTMC clearly indicated the quantitative incorporation of the initiator at the chain end. The controlled/living nature for the IDPA-catalyzed ROP of TMC was confirmed by the kinetic and chain extension experiments. A bifunctional activation mechanism was proposed for IDPA catalysis based on NMR and FTIR studies. Additionally, 1,3-propanediol, 1,1,1-trimethylolpropane, and pentaerythritol were used as di-ol, tri-, and tetra-ol initiators, producing the telechelic or star-shaped polycarbonates with narrow polydispersity indices. The well-defined diblock copolymers, poly(trimethylene carbonate)-block-poly(δ-valerolactone) and poly(trimethylene carbonate)-block-poly(ε-caprolactone), have been successfully synthesized by using the IDPA catalysis system. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2014, 52, 1009–1019

Amidosulfonic acid NH₂–SO₃H catalyzed direct condensations of o-phenylenediamines with α-diketones at room temperature in organic solvents to afford quinoxalines in excellent yields. The amidosulfonic acid as a solid acid catalyst in this preparation was efficient and recoverable.