Metal-free approach for imidazole synthesis one-pot -α-C(sp)- bond functionalization of benzylamines.

A metal-free one-pot method is established for the synthesis of tetrasubstituted imidazoles from the reaction of arylmethylamines and 1,2-dicarbonyls/benzoin. The -α-C(sp)- bond functionalization of arylmethylamines using a catalytic amount of AcOH afforded polysubstituted imidazoles under aerobic conditions in significant yields of up to 95%.

Simple practical method for synthesis of trisubstituted imidazoles: an efficient copper catalyzed multicomponent reaction.

A rapid practical process has been developed for synthesis of 2,4,5-trisubstituted-imidazoles in excellent yields up to 95% from readily available starting materials. In this CuI catalyzed synthesis, trisubstituted imidazoles were afforded in short reaction times, wherein the substrate scope is well explored with benzoin as well as benzil reacting with different aldehydes in the presence of ammonium acetate as the nitrogen source.

Metal-free oxidative coupling of arylmethylamines with indoles: a simple, environmentally benign approach for the synthesis of 3,3'-bis(indolyl)methanes.

The efficient metal-free oxidative coupling of arylmethylamines with indoles has been developed using molecular oxygen as a green oxidant. The present reaction provides a novel route towards the synthesis of 3,3'-bis(indolyl)methanes in excellent yields of up to 95% C-C and C-N bond formation. This attractive and environmentally friendly one-pot protocol is a simple procedure that features inexpensive acetic acid as the catalyst and molecular oxygen as the sole oxidant, and it supports a wide substrate scope with the good tolerance of functional groups.