A Simple and Efficient Copper（Ⅱ） Complex as a Catalyst for N-Arylation of Imidazoles

Four inexpensive and air-/moisture-stable pyrrolecarbaldiminato-Cu complexes 1-4 were synthesized and evaluated to be a novel class of catalysts for the N-arylation of imidazoles with aryl halides. A variety of aryl iodides, bromides and activated aryl chlorides underwent the coupling with imidazoles, promoted by the catalyst 4, in moderate to good yields without the protection by an inert gas.