Complete N-1 regiocontrol in the formation of N-arylimidazoles. Synthesis of the active site His-Tyr side chain coupled dipeptide of cytochrome c oxidase.

Under catalysis by copper(II) acetate, complete regiocontrol (N-1 versus N-3) was obtained in the arylation of substituted imidazoles with aryllead(IV) reagents. The mildness of the reaction conditions (rt, no added base) allows for the first synthesis of the histidine-tyrosine side chain coupled dipeptide found in the active site of cytochrome c oxidase.