A catalytic intramolecular nitrene insertion into a copper(i)–N-heterocyclic carbene bond yielding fused nitrogen heterocycles

• DOI: 10.1039/c6cc09160a
• Publication Date: 2017-01-31T12:55:43Z
• Authors: Kévin Fauché; Lionel Nauton; Laurent Jouffret; Federico Cisnetti; Arnaud Gautier
• Keywords: Nitrene

N-(2-Azidophenyl)azolium salts were easily prepared and reacted with copper(i) under conditions allowing the formation of NHC complexes. Under these conditions, benzimidazo-fused heterocycles occurred catalytic, efficient very mild conditions. This reaction is proposed to proceed via dinitrogen elimination imido/nitrene-NHC cyclization.