A Convenient Preparation of Diaryl Ketazines

Abstract

Azines have proven useful as intermediates in the synthesis of hydrocarbons, amines, hydrazines and various heterocyclic systems¹ and, more recently, have found use as ligands in transition metal compounds². While a convenient one-step synthesis from hydrazine and ketones is available in the aliphatic series, ^1,3 such is not the case with diaryl ketones⁴. Diaryl ketazines are generally prepared by a two-step reaction via the corresponding hydrazone⁵.