An intramolecular aryl C−H amination reaction has been achieved using molecular iodine as the sole oxidant for the synthesis of benzimidazole derivatives. The required substrates were readily prepared by addition or coupling of arylamines with the corresponding nitriles or aryl iodides. Iodine-mediated oxidative cyclization of these substrates in the presence of potassium carbonate (K 2 CO 3 ) as base afforded the corresponding products in moderate to good yields. The transition metal-free protocol presented here is insensitive to air and operationally simple. This versatile and eco-friendly synthetic methodology is broadly applicable to a variety of N -aryl-substituted amidines and pyridin-2-amines, and provides direct access to both 1 H -benzo[ d ]imidazole and pyrido[1,2- a ]benzimidazole derivatives from the corresponding precursors.
A facile C–H amination of quinazoline employing N-fluorobenzenesulfonimide (NFSI) as the amination source has been disclosed in the absence of any metal, oxidant or additive. The methodology shows a board range of quinazolines with different functional groups in moderate to good yields up to 87%. Furthermore, gram-scale reaction, desulfonylation to amine and synthesis of pharmaceutical intermediate were also investigated, which demonstrates potential applications in medicinal chemistry. A plausible amination mechanism is proposed via F+ transfer accompanied by the removal of one molecule of PhSO2F. DFT studies with experimental work suggest that the mechanism via F+ transfer is more favorable than the free radical one.