Tetrasubstituted imidazoles were synthesized in high yields via the four-component reaction of aromatic aldehydes, amines, substituted benzils and ammonium acetate catalyzed by a porous CeO2 nanorod. Their anti-cancer activities on the Huh-7 hepatocellular carcinoma cell and antibacterial activities on four bacterial species (wild-type Escherichia coli, wild-type Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas