Cheap Cu(I)/Hexamethylenetetramine (HMTA) Catalytic System for C-N Coupling Reactions

Abstract

An efficient C-N coupling reaction of aryl chlorides or bromides with imidazole was successfully performed with cheap and commercially available catalytic system Cu(I)/HMTA. Both aryl bromides and aryl chlorides have been effectively catalyzed by Cu/HMTA, giving products in moderate to good yields. Moreover, aryl halides bearing either electron-withdrawing groups or electron-donating groups could be used in the reaction.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Keywords:

• Aryl halides
• C-N coupling
• imidazole
• N-arylimidazole

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

We are grateful to SPF for ROCS, SEM, PAPD; the State Key Laboratory of Inorganic Synthesis and Preparative Chemistry (2009-06) at Jilin University; the Qing Lan Project (08QLT001 and 08QLD006) of the Jiangsu Education Committee; and the National Science Foundation of China (NSFC) 21071121 for financial support.

Notes

^a CuI was used instead of CuCl.