Bimetallic CoMoO4@C nanorod catalyzes one‐pot synthesis of benzimidazoles from benzyl alcohol and o‐phenylendiamine without alkali

Abstract Benzimidazoles possess a series of applications for industrial chemistry and biomedicine. However, the complicated synthetic steps and harsh reaction conditions limit its further development. Herein, we reported an efficient, environmentally friendly, and stable bimetallic CoMoO 4 @C catalyst, which used low‐cost cobalt and molybdenum as the basic raw material. In base‐free conditions, it has been proved that the yield could achieve to 99.9% for the synthesis of benzimidazoles with liberating water as the sole byproduct, and the catalyst remains stable and efficient even after five successive cycle tests. Additionally, experiments and characterizations confirm the good oxidation activity of the catalyst benefits from the numerous oxygen vacancies provided by the high concentration of low‐valent cobalt (Co 2+ ) and the doping of carbon improves the intermolecular transport of electrons. Furthermore, this strategy could potentially be applied in the industrial production of benzimidazoles.