Various 2-phenylimidazo [4,5-f] [1,10] phenanthrolines were synthesized from potassium ferro-cyanide trihydrate (KFCT) complex catalyzed three component reaction of 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione, aromatic aldehydes and ammonium acetate at room temperature in excellent isolated yield. This is a simple and straight forward, high yielding, not involving any hazardous or expensive catalyst method. (C) 2011 Syed Shahed Ali. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of Chinese Chemical Society. All rights reserved.