CuI/BF3·Et2O cocatalyzed aerobic dehydrogenative reactions of ketones with benzylamines: facile synthesis of substituted imidazoles.

A novel CuI/BF(3)·Et(2)O/O(2)-mediated reaction utilizing ketones and benzylamines for the construction of substituted imidazoles in one step under mild conditions has been demonstrated. This protocol involved the removal of eight hydrogen atoms, the functionalization of four C(sp(3))-H bonds and three new C-N bond formations.