A simple and efficient catalytic system for coupling aryl halides with aqueous ammonia in water

Abstract

The cross-coupling reaction between aryl halides and aqueous ammonia was efficiently catalyzed by the sulfonatoCu(salen) complex in water with high yields. A variety of substituted aryl bromides and aryl iodides were found to be applicable to the environmentally benign system. Substituted 1H-benzimidazole could also be easily prepared by coupling aqueous ammonia with 2-iodoacetanilide in one pot with this catalytic system. © 2010 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA.