One-pot synthesis of diarylamines from two aromatic amines via oxidative dearomatization-imino exchange-reductive aromatization.

A one-pot synthetic strategy for diarylamines using only aromatic amines as starting materials has been developed. This method involved a PhI(OAc)2-induced oxidative dearomatization of N-sulfonyl protected para-substituted anilines, a Bi(OTf)3-catalyzed imino exchange reaction between N-sulfonyl cyclohexadienimines and aromatic amines, and a CF3COOH/Zn mediated reductive aromatization of the resulting N-aryl cyclohexadienimines.