Ultrasonic- and Ionic Liquid-Assisted Synthesis of Imidazole Derivatives and Study of the Structural and Rheological Characteristics of the Lophine–Caproic Acid Complex
The current research introduces a high-performance methodology for preparing trisubstituted imidazole derivatives through the synergy of ultrasonic activation and ionic liquid catalysis. By performing the cyclocondensation of benzil with ammonium acetate and diverse aromatic aldehydes in ethanol, we evaluated the impact of various experimental variables on the reaction’s efficiency. Our findings indicate that 1,4-dimethylpiperazine dihydrosulfate, when coupled with ultrasonic irradiation, markedly accelerates reaction kinetics and delivers target products with exceptional yields. The chemical structures of these derivatives were rigorously validated using FT-IR and NMR (1H and 13C) spectroscopic techniques. Additionally, a novel crystalline association between lophine and caproic acid was developed, with its stabilization mechanisms elucidated via Density Functional Theory (DFT). Finally, the study assessed the solubility of this complex in isopropyl alcohol and explored its role as a rheological modifier in crude oil, demonstrating its capacity to tune the system’s structural and mechanical characteristics.