OICC Press Iranian Journal of Catalysis 2345-4865 8 1 2024 02 03 Snail shell as a natural and highly efficient catalyst for the synthesis of imidazole derivatives EN Zakaria Benzekribe Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Organometallic and Theoretical. Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofaïl University, BO 133, 14000 Kenitra, Morocco. Houda Serrar Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Organometallic and Theoretical. Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofaïl University, BO 133, 14000 Kenitra, Morocco. Abdelkebir Zarguil Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Organometallic and Theoretical. Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofaïl University, BO 133, 14000 Kenitra, Morocco. Said Boukhris Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Organometallic and Theoretical. Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofaïl University, BO 133, 14000 Kenitra, Morocco. 0000-0001-9541-4318 Abdelaziz Souizi Laboratory of Organic Chemistry, Organometallic and Theoretical. Faculty of Sciences, Ibn Tofaïl University, BO 133, 14000 Kenitra, Morocco. Journal Article 2024 02 03 A convenient, simple and green process for the synthesis of 2,4,5-triaryl-1H-imidazole and 1,2,4,5-tetraaryl-1H-imidazole derivatives using snail shell, which is abundant in Morocco, as a catalyst in ethanol at 40 °C has been developed. Additionally, short reaction times, excellent yields, simple procedure and relative non-toxicity of the catalyst are other noteworthy advantages and make this method an interesting alternative to other methodologies. Finally, this solid catalyst can be recovered and reused at least seven times with negligible loss in activity. The catalyst has been characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and measuring the specific surface.